Preparing for a pelagic

After every trip to sea I feel like I come back a different person. After a few successful trips, I think I’ve gained some insight that might help pelagic-curious people out there. Or those who’ve had bad experiences (like I have). If you’ve never taken a pelagic, I’d recommend starting with a shorter trip. I started with 12 hours and probably shouldn’t have done that.

Get to know what it’s like because it is a strange, smelly, unsteady, and awesome (!) world out there. Who knows, maybe you’re one of those lucky people with a steel stomach. Unfortunately, that’s not me. Everyone has their own comfort levels and know what works for them, but here’s a breakdown of what works for me.

TLDR: take Bonine over-the counter medication for motion sickness the night before, and the morning of the trip and you should be good to go!

My full packing list:

I wear five layers on top. A tank top undershirt, followed by a long sleeve Smartwool base-layer, a Columbia fleece vest (that has bonus pockets), a poly sweatshirt on top and then rain jacket over everything. I keep a backup puffy jacket in my pack too just in case (I only had to use once on a really chilly trip). My Red Ledge rain jacket has amazing pockets large enough to hold a 16.9 oz bottle of ginger ale. This is the key to taking fewer rocky trips to the cabin.

My rain pants were too tight on my first trip and the pressure from the elastic band exacerbated my stomach pains. So I’ve since made a bunch of trips to Andy and Bax surplus sporting goods store to try out pants. I ended up swapping out traditional rain pants in favor of Viking brand Journeyman Waterproof Industrial Bib Pant. I unsnapped the bib and cut off the suspender part. They are comfy and I love them. Underneath I wear Smartwool mid-weight base layer pants, with some gym shorts on top.

I wear two pairs of socks, one light and one thick for warmth and cushion since most rain boots aren’t very insulated. I should probably invest in another pair of Bogs, but for now I bought a cheap (but solid) $12 pair of rubber boots from Fred Meyer. They get the job done for now. My gloves are fingerless flip-mittens made out of alpaca wool and acrylic from Andes Gifts (found at New Seasons). And my favorite sun hat is Columbia Coolhead Cachalot Hat (not just for men!), the safari flap tucks under nicely and the adjustable drawcord in the back tightens securely for windy times.

I’ve found an amazing retailer for waterproof camera covers in the UK called Camera Accessories Outdoors. Their products are well-made and reasonably priced. The one for my camera/lens combo is under $30 including shipping. I use another camera lens sleeve underneath for double protection, but it’s pretty much just a plastic bag. The more covers the better since sea salt can do a lot of damage to equipment. (I clean my gear after each trip).

Photos of all the gear:

My pelagic planning begins the week before. I cut out coffee and alcohol, eat bland food, and get plenty of sleep. Sounds extreme perhaps, but the more cards I can stack on the side of a good outcome the better. I’m in favor of medication (talk to your doctor). I wasn’t anxious my first trip and then I got seasick. Now my body tries to protect me from doing that again. Thanks body, but I love albatross too much. So now I have anti-anxiety meds (Lorazepam) just for boat rides (similar to situational anxiety for flying). It’s really helped, because this is not the appropriate time for a fight or flight response. Someone recently asked if weed would have a similar affect, and maybe? It is legal here. But I’ve never had a good reaction and wouldn’t want to add another element of uncertainty for myself.

My thoughts on Scopolamine: also called “the patch” or Transderm Scop, which is a small round band-aid sized prescription for motion sickness that goes behind the ear. I tried it my first trip and got sick. What I didn’t know (and the pharmacist didn’t tell me) is that it should be put on the night before a trip, so maybe I would have been fine, but it’s dead to me now. Some people, even guides use it and swear by it. Others have had adverse side effects (blurred vision) for days. I’ve had good results with over-the-counter Bonine so I’m sticking with that.

The night before: Some people can drink beer and eat hotdogs the night before. I could too, but then I’d get sick. To avoid this I eat bland food. I had a basic BLT sandwich one time (dry), and before this last trip I ate a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios because it was easy. I have one half (to one) anti-anxiety pill and a Bonine pill for dessert. Yum.

The morning of: Wake up, get base layers on, go to the bathroom 100 times (approx.). Eat something. I had half a plain bagel and half a banana last trip. Some people can handle coffee, I can’t (I’d never leave the bathroom). I take the other half anti-anxiety pill, Imodium A-D, Bonine, and this time I took two Ibuprofen to ease my mind about potential ankle pain. Somehow I get the rest of my gear on and get out the door.

On the boat: Anxiety is better (hopefully medication is working). There are birds to look at! Wonderful distractions. During slow periods mental strategies help: think about the turnaround point, look at the horizon, stay out of the cabin and try to get fresh air (beware of diesel and chum stank). As hard as it is, it helps to snack. I munch on saltines, have a Lifesaver, or some nuts. I tried almonds last time but they were too big and turned into gummy paste in my mouth. I had better luck this time with shelled pistachios. Salt is good. Some people can have ginger candy, ginger snaps, etc. I can’t stomach the power of ginger so I’ve found pineapple flavored Lifesavers to be a good mild alternative. And if you have to get sick, you’re not alone, it happens.

After: Time for celebration!!!

And time to plan the next trip. Every time is different, there’s highs and lows, but the birds always make it worthwhile. And having a system in place can help ease the struggle. My brain wants to protect me from the trauma of my first trip, while my heart wants to keep trying.

Good job heart.

Tweets and tips,

Audrey