Dramamine not helping? Try ume
| • | Your guide to the Hawaii Superferry |
| • | Hawaii ferry gearing up for Maui return |
Planning to ride the Hawaii Superferry but afraid you might get seasick?
No worries. Just put an ume (red pickled plum) in your belly button and cover it with a Band-Aid.
"Don't laugh, it works," said Hilo fisherman Mike Sakamoto, former host of the "Fishing Tales" television show.
If the old Japanese fisherman's remedy for seasickness sounds a bit too folksy, over-the-counter products such as Dramamine and prescription medicine such as Scopolamine patches or pills might help, but they should be administered well before travel.
According to WebMD, motion sickness occurs when the senses that detect motion send conflicting messages to the brain. For example, if you are in the cabin of a moving ship, your inner ear may sense the motion of big waves but your eyes don't see any movement.
Children ages 5 to 12, women and the elderly seem to be more susceptible to motion sickness, while it is rare in those younger than 2, the WebMD site said.
Symptoms are hard to stop once they start, so it's best to try to prevent motion sickness.
The Hawaii Superferry Web site and other sources offer advice such as sitting in the middle of the ship where motion is minimal. Other tips include:
The ferry's Calabash Store will sell Dramamine and other motion sickness remedies. Sakamoto did not recommend acupressure bands.
"Wrist bands don't work at all, so don't waste your money," he said. "I went fishing with the distributor of that gadget and he heaved his breakfast into the sea and begged us to take him back to land. And he wore two bracelets that day."
Another fishermen's method for preventing seasickness is smearing Vicks vapor rub in and around your navel.
"That works, too," Sakamoto said. He also had advice for those uncertain whether they might be prone to motion sickness:
"Some guys will get seasick standing on the pier and watching a boat rock on its mooring lines. Those guys shouldn't go on boats."
Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.
