Was that the "Cayuse"? I've heard more people say that was the only ship
they ever got sick on than any other. She was here in Maine for a while
but I don't know where she is now.

Hi Roger,

I'm guessing your asking why one ship might be more prone to causing
seasickness than another?

There are alot of determining factors, to name a few (I'm sure there are
others, these are the ones that come to mind):

Seas - The most obvious reason. The seas off the Washington / Oregon coast
during the winter is about as bad as it gets. Gales hit every three days
(like clockwork) and the seas are big and steep. I've been in bigger seas,
but these seemed more uncomfortable.

Vessel Motion - A vessel's size, obviously, has a big effect on it's motion
at sea. Additionally, a more stable vessel will roll faster, thus making
the motion more uncomfortable. The further you go from the vessel's center
of gravity, the more motion you'll be subjected to. Yes, some ships are
just more uncomfortable in a seaway than others, and the research ship I was
on had a reputation for being a "puking machine". Since most of my waking
hours were spent on the bridge, some 30-40 feet above sea level, it was a
pretty "fun" ride. Below decks (in my bunk), it didn't seem quite as bad.
The Irony was that our mission was to count whales, but because the weather
was so bad, most of the scientists never left their bunks. Incidently, most
cruise ships have "roll stabilizers" and "bilge keels". These usually do
alot to reduce the vessel's roll.

Health - If you're otherwise ill (or tired), sea sickness will definitely
hit you faster. In my case, I had recently recovered from an inner ear
infection, which I'm sure had alot to do with why I became sick.

Smells - I know certain noxious smells trigger sea sickness in some people.

Psychology - I am one of those that believe that if you think about it too
much (or watch other folks that are sick) eventually you will get sick.
Consequently, I do everything I can -not- to think about it.

I know nothing about the circumstances with the cruise ship and students
that everyone is talking about. I only caught a few seconds of the video
that appeared on TV, so I'm in no position to judge or criticize, so I won't
even try. The last I heard, she was docked here in Honolulu.

Two other points on seasickness that are worth mentioning:

One is that the seasickness pills I took while working off Oregon (Dramamine
I think) worked like wonders for me.

The other is that extended seasickness can be a -very- dangerous medical
condition. If you (or one of your crew) should become sick, proper rest,
meals and lots of fluids are -crucial-.

Here's wishing everyone fair winds and following seas!


--
Paul

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