Seasickness on Red Sea boat trips: prevention and what helps

Seasickness is common on boat trips, and simple steps often prevent it or make it milder. Sit in the middle of the boat, in the fresh air, and look at the horizon. If you need a medicine, take it before the boat leaves. Ask our pharmacist which type suits you, because many cause drowsiness.

Seasickness symptoms

Seasickness is motion sickness at sea. Your inner ear senses the boat moving, but your eyes send your brain different signals. These mixed messages make you feel unwell.

Symptoms often build up slowly. They can include:

• feeling dizzy
• feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
• a headache
• going pale, feeling cold and sweating
• yawning, feeling sleepy and producing more saliva

Almost anyone can get seasick if the motion is strong enough. It is most common in children aged 7 to 12. People who get migraines are also more prone to it. Tiredness, alcohol and smoking make it worse.

A short rocking feeling after you step ashore is normal and usually passes within a few hours. If sickness or dizziness lasts much longer, see a doctor.

What helps seasickness

Try these simple steps first, before any medicine.

Choose your place. Sit in the middle of the boat, where the motion is smallest, not at the front. Stay on deck in the fresh air, where you can see the horizon.

Look at the horizon. Keep your eyes on the horizon or another fixed point. Do not watch the waves.

Keep still. Avoid turning or nodding your head. Lying down can help, mainly because it keeps your head still.

Breathe slowly. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and regularly. In laboratory trials, this worked about half as well as anti-sickness medicines.

Try ginger or a wristband. The NHS suggests ginger as a tablet, biscuit or tea. Acupressure wristbands do not work for everyone, and the CDC says the evidence for both is weak.

Drink and eat lightly. Take small sips of water, especially if you have been sick. Avoid heavy meals, spicy food and alcohol before and during the trip.

Medicines for seasickness

Medicines are most effective when you take them before the boat leaves. Once you feel sick, your stomach may not absorb tablets well. Follow the leaflet for timing.

There are two main types:

• Hyoscine (scopolamine). It comes as tablets, and in some countries as a skin patch. It can cause a dry mouth, drowsiness, dizziness and blurred vision.
• Drowsy (sedating) antihistamines made for travel sickness. Drowsiness is their most common side effect.

Non-drowsy allergy tablets, such as Claritine (loratadine), do not prevent seasickness. They are designed not to reach the brain, where travel sickness medicines work.

Seasickness medicines are not suitable for everyone. Some may not suit people aged 60 or over. They may also not suit people with glaucoma, prostate problems, epilepsy, or heart, liver or kidney problems. Alcohol makes the drowsiness worse. Tell our pharmacist about your health and any other medicines you take.

Planning to snorkel or dive? Tell the pharmacist before you choose. The CDC notes that some medicines can raise the risk of drowning.

What not to do

• Do not drink alcohol or smoke before or during the trip.
• Do not combine seasickness medicines with each other or with other drowsy medicines, unless a pharmacist says it is safe.
• Do not cut a seasickness patch to change the dose.
• Do not snorkel or dive if a medicine makes you drowsy or dizzy, or blurs your vision.

What you can buy at the pharmacy

Products that can help:

• Travel sickness tablets of either type. Ask us what is in stock today and which one suits you.
• Children’s travel sickness tablets that dissolve in the mouth. Ask our pharmacist which product suits your child’s age.
• Ginger products and acupressure wristbands. Ask us what is in stock today.
• Oral rehydration salts, if you have been sick several times.

Going on a day trip? We can help you put together a travel health kit for the boat. For a full packing list, read our Ras Mohammed day trip pharmacy kit.

How to prevent seasickness on a boat trip

• Sleep well the night before. Lack of sleep can make motion sickness worse.
• Eat a light meal. Avoid heavy meals, spicy food and alcohol before you board.
• Plan any medicine early. Ask our pharmacist the day before. Tablets need time to start working.
• Pack water, a hat and sunscreen. Being sick and the heat both make you lose fluid. Read our guide to heatstroke and dehydration.
• Give it time. Your body can slowly get used to motion over repeated trips.

Children, pregnancy and older people

Children. Children under 2 rarely get motion sickness. Try the simple steps first: fresh air, the horizon, and distraction with talking, music or songs. Do not give any seasickness medicine without asking a pharmacist or doctor. Age limits differ, and some medicines are not suitable for young children. Some children become agitated rather than sleepy, and too much of a drowsy medicine can be dangerous. Every child on a boat should wear a life jacket.

Pregnancy. Pregnancy can make motion sickness more likely. Start with the simple steps. Some seasickness medicines, such as hyoscine and cinnarizine, are not usually recommended in pregnancy. Others may be used. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before you take anything. Do the same if you are breastfeeding. Ferry companies may refuse women late in pregnancy, so check the boat company’s rules before you book.

Older people and long-term conditions. Tell our pharmacist about every medicine you take. Some seasickness medicines may not suit older people or people with some long-term conditions. After the trip, take care on steps and jetties, because a rocking feeling can affect your balance.

When to get urgent help

Need help in Sharm?

Going on a boat trip? Message us on WhatsApp or call +20 120 344 2201 the day before. Our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian, and can help you choose. We have 5 pharmacies across Sharm El Sheikh, and we offer free hotel delivery on orders from $30. Registered medicines are sold at the official prices set in Egypt.