What is seasickness?

Seasickness, also known as motion sickness, occurs when a person experiences an imbalance caused by the movements of a watercraft, be it a car, plane or boat. This imbalance leads to nausea (the word "nausea" comes from the ancient Greek "Naus", meaning "ship").

This is a completely normal reaction of the body and is not a permanent condition. In fact, it usually disappears after a day or so, while the inner ear adjusts to new body movements.

The inner ear plays a crucial role in maintaining the body's balance. Boat movements disrupt this function, sending the brain contradictory information to what the eyes perceive. As a result, the brain may interpret this as a problem and trigger nausea or vomiting (perceived as a sign of poisoning).

Seasickness usually dissipates quickly when the boat stops moving, weather conditions are calm, or you reach an area where waves are minimal or non-existent.

Skippers are familiar with this phenomenon, as they themselves are likely to suffer from it. They pay close attention to the choice of routes during the first days of the crossing, to minimize any inconvenience to the crew.

After around 48 hours on board, the body generally adapts and the cruise can be enjoyed to the full, with more sporty and prolonged cruising.

Symptoms of seasickness :

• Fatigue
• Pallor
• Dizziness

Techniques to alleviate seasickness :

• Lying down to reduce the impact on the inner ear
• Napping to reduce symptoms
• Fixing the horizon to give the brain a reference for movement

Medical aids, such as Mer Calme tablets, are also available and highly effective for the first day, and can be purchased from any pharmacy in France.