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Seasickness
What comes to mind when you hear the word “ship”? For some people, I guess the answer could be “seasickness.”
Although I’ve always been prone to motion sickness, I grew up on an island and had plenty of opportunities to travel by boat from a young age. Over the years, I’d mastered the classic trick of staring at the horizon to keep seasickness at bay, so I wasn’t too worried this time either.
The rice ball that tasted like kindness, made by the trainees on the second day of Leg 2
However, once the voyage began, things didn’t go quite as planned. The horizon was hidden by thick fog, and there were very few windows, making my usual coping strategy useless almost immediately! On the second day of Leg 2, when the waves were especially rough, I spent the entire day in bed. (Worth noting, the waves were so rough that day, that at one point during the afternoon lecture, out of 10 trainees, only 3 were attending it.)
On the other hand, seasickness does have one unexpected “benefit”: it reminds you just how kind people can be. The trainees brought me rice balls and jelly drinks, the Students from Hokkaido University Fisheries Sciences gave me strong anti-seasickness tablets, and the teachers even treated me to ice cream while “praising” me to make it out of my bed. I will never be able to thank these angel-like people enough.
☆ Bonus ☆ Everyone’s Strategies for Dealing with Seasickness
- “Find your own lucky charm, for example, a particular candy that makes you think, ‘If I eat this, I’ll be fine.’” (Junior 2nd Officer)
→ It’s all in the mind. - “Eat well and sleep well.” (Trainee)
→ Couldn’t agree more. - “Throw up. And eat to throw up.” (Hokkaido University Students & Trainees)
→ The one thing I was too reluctant to do and regret.
Me and my trusty companion, which was always by my side during every meal and lecture.
What I learned from this experience, however, is that the scariest part isn’t seasickness itself, but the loss of stamina that comes with it. When you’re seasick for several days, you naturally eat less and move less, and your physical strength drops surprisingly quickly. I fell right into this trap toward the end of the voyage, so I had to take matters into my own hands: even while lying in bed, I tried doing small exercises and made sure to drink plenty of jelly drinks (kindly provided by my saviors). Thankfully, I was able to fully recover.
Despite everything, my love for the ocean and ships hasn’t changed at all. While I couldn’t control the seasickness itself, I’m slightly frustrated as I could have managed the loss of stamina better. That’s why I am determined to do better next time!
So, see you again somewhere out at sea! And to everyone who supported me throughout the voyage: thank you so much, I’ll never forget your kindness.