Sea Legs
When I had dinner with the fellows last week we talked about sleep. We talked about how whalers, upon their return home often had to suspend their beds from ropes so every movement would rock them to sleep.
Though I’ve never been to sea in anything other than a short jaunt in my kayak; I can somewhat relate to this. Once I went fluke fishing on Barneagat Bay (New Jersey) with a friend. We spent ten hours in a small craft rolling with the waves, up and down, up and down. Even after arriving home several hours later and going to bed several hours after that I could still feel the motion of the waves as I was in bed. I could still feel the motion when I woke up the next morning.
The only thing I could relate it to was like when you attend a real loud concert and your ears ring for several days after. The motion must have reprogrammed my inner ear and sense of balance.
I’ve always taken the large ferry boats when ever I’ve gone to Victoria, B.C., but I understand there is a catamaran that ferrys people from Seattle or Port Townsend. I understand that when the water is wild on Puget Sound the visitors have rubbery legs during their first day after their trip.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 4:00 AM
8 Comments:
I get terrible sea legs after being out on a boat for as little as an hour. I remember being out for a day and overnight with Mammy and Pappy on their boat and it took me a couple of days not to feel like the earth was moving under my feet each time I took a step. A very odd feeling if you have never experienced it.
I've experienced the same thing after spending a day rafting on the Deschutes.
I also had a friend who suffered "delayed sea sickness" because of it.
I used to body surf in my younger days and after ten or twelve hours out in the water I would stagger for half the night. The after feeling was almost as fun as being in the water. Wheee!
Pappy,
I've been on that one. I'd heard your concern in the past as well, but I had to see it to believe it. Wife and I were with my office in "bad water" headed to Victoria. People got more than rubbery legs. They were scrambling for bathrooms, trash cans, etc. Vomitfest is not fun to watch in a small ship packed with people where at least 30% lose it.
K-K-K-K-Herb
My husband lived four years on a 50' sail boat while in HS. They took month long trips about 100 miles out to fish. He loved it. When he sells his crane, he wants to invest in another big boat...I told him, that where ever he goes, I'll just meet him there. No open seas for me. I'm more of a "speed boat on a lake" kind of person. I rented a sail boat for a week in the Puget Sound for him and our son a couple years ago...they had a great time. I did take my daughter on a cruise last summer to Alaska. If you ever have the chance to go, you should (get a room w/ a balcony :)..it was a once in a life time trip...BUT...It took me about a week to stop falling over :)
Auntie,It seems that all us Coastal people have experienced it. See what you mid-westerners are missing?
Walt, now that is some bumpy water. Beautiful river, but I've only seen it passing by. I haven't been on it.
Darev, I did a lot of that, too. Growing up on the Atlantic, it was warm water there. I'm sure here you needed a wet suit.
Herb, maybe it is a way to try to catch drug mules. Make them so sick that they throw up all their condoms of coke. That boat is known as the "vomit comet" and I bet their sanitation expenses are pretty high. BTW, Nice to see you back here again.
Ginger, I would like to do the passage one day. I've ferried from Anacordes to Victoria several times and that is a beautiful trip, but I understand it pales in comparison.
Although it sounds soothing and comforting to be rocked to sleep in a boat, I don’t think it would have that effect on me. I feel sick to my stomach in a hammock.
Beth, you are a delicate flower ; )
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