Seasick When Snorkeling Even With Dramamine

I get very sea sick when I'm snorkeling, even with Dramamine. I also wear earplugs, just in case this has something to do with it. Is there anything I can do for this? Thank you!

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Feb 14, 2010
 Try These Cures
by: Galen & Nicole

We are sorry you are having that trouble. Seasickness is no fun (we know, from years of sailing).

Here are a couple of things you can try that do work great for some people. But you will just have to try and see if they will work for you.

Both ginger and peppermint work great for us. Some doctors even recommend you use a preventive dose of ginger pills up to a full day before you are getting on the water. Look into getting some ginger, in as pure a form as you can stand to eat. We like candied ginger, but people often use the pill form. Take some a while before you go on the water.

Next is peppermint essential oil. Just smelling real peppermint essential oil can do wonders for seasickness. It can be bought at some health food stores. Make sure it is 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oil, not a synthetic perfume. Organic would be even better. Try dabbing a small amount on the underside of your nose before putting on your mask. Although the fumes from the mint may bug your eyes. Play around with what works.

You will most likely get some relief from those two options, or from both combined. There are also preventative wrist bands that press on specific acupressure points that lower nausea.

Make sure and keep very hydrated. If you are at all dehydrated it will increase your problem.

Also we know from sailing that all you have to do is stare at the horizon to arrest the problem. So maybe pay attention to when you start to feel it, and either pick a spot on the ocean floor to keep your eyes on, or tread water and stare at the horizon until you feel better.

Let us know if this helps.
Mar 05, 2010
 My hubby gets very sick too.
by: Susan

My husband gets very sick on the boats also. He finally got a medication named Phenergan for nausea and only takes 1/4 to 1/2 tablet and it works great. That's the only medication he'll take now.
Dec 09, 2010
 Ginger for sure
by: Pat

Yes, Ginger is a proven help for motion sickness (they proved it on Mythbusters!) and we use it for nausea in flu season, too. Even so, avoiding the trouble is better than treating it.

I find I really get sick fast on the waves if I focus on something close to me (like adjusting a strap, fooling with some camera knob, etc.) so I have to do all that close focusing with the eyes stuff on land, before entering the water. And if visibility is not good I do have to occasionally gaze at the horizon for awhile or I will be sorry later.
Dec 27, 2010
 Seasickness
by: Snorkeler

My husband gets seasick on boats and can feel queasy if the water is rough or has swells. He always takes less drowsy formula Dramamine to snorkel but dislikes the sluggish feeling the rest of the day so only goes every other day or so --- unless we take a catamaran snorkel vacation.

The #1 gotcha in snorkeling is trying to take underwater pictures in rough water or swells - almost guaranteed seasickness for anyone with the tendency! You are bobbing up and down and the fish are going sideways; focusing to take a picture is guaranteed to cause immediate feelings of seasickness. My husband, the long time camera fanatic in our family, has totally given up taking pictures underwater and felt better immediately when he handed me the camera.

I never get seasick luckily and immediately became addicted to taking pictures of fish & coral.
May 28, 2011
 Ugg..me too.
by: CT-R.I.

I got myself all pumped up for spearfishing (free diving) by watching all the videos on youtube all winter, bought about $600.00 in gear and today tried it. Yikes! 30 min into it after traveling 125 miles, I was sick as a dog.

I hope this is something I will overcome. I feel like a flop. I will try the over the counter meds AND the ginger/peppermint... Sheet!

I'm going to try the spear fishing boards, you might try asking in a scuba forum too.
Jan 29, 2013
 Sick While Snorkeling
by: Maria

When snorkeling after about 5 minutes I felt queasy and vomited. Next time I tried a Pihia Bomb, specially made for seasickness, it helped but I still felt sick. I am only snorkeling in about 1 - 2 meters of water but it is the seaweed swaying backwards and forwards and backwards and forwards that makes me feel ill. I will try the ginger and peppermint oils. Thanks for the advice.
Jan 30, 2013
 Seasick when snorkeling
by: Snorkeler

The generic of non drowsy dramamine works just as good as Dramamine & is less expensive. The trick to it's use is to take it the night before and then only half that much SEVERAL HOURS before getting on/in the water or in a boat. It's definitely more effective this way.

Warning on the wrist bands: they don't work if you have a thin wrist - too loose.

I'm going to suggest my husband (who is the sea sickie one) try also using the peppermint oil. Interesting.

I know ginger helps. I have ginger drops for his next snorkel venture.
May 20, 2017
 It happened to me as well!
by: Elizabeth McLendon

I took a snorkeling boat in the Keys & was fine... until I hit the water to snorkel. With the flotation device on (which I understand is mandatory for both safety & insurance reasons) I was bobbing up and down on the surface unable to get under the water for more than 15-20 seconds before popping back up. After 10 minutes of this, I was so sick I could no longer continue. I spent the rest of the the trip enviously watching everyone else snorkel (between episodes of vomiting off the side of the boat!).

I'm still snorkeling, but keeping to shore snorkeling for now.

By the way, I DID use both ginger & the "Bonine" brand of pill, but made the mistake of not taking it the day before to get it in my system before attempting a snorkel trip. I'll try the peppermint too so my next trip will hopefully be better!
Aug 24, 2018
 Seasick Queen Here!
by: Anonymous

I get seasick so very easily, but I love freediving. Here are some things I have found that work. For some reason taking an antihistamine ahead of time helps. Making sure I have a hearty, but not too large, breakfast. Drinking a lot of water before going in. And wearing my weight belt so I can submerge and swim underwater longer without floating up. There is usually little to no movement under water so staying under as much as possible helps with the motion sickness, and helps me improve my breath holding skills.

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