Seasickness is a real scourge for all those who practice the sea. It is all the more disabling because it cannot be predicted, whatever the practice (regular, professional or occasional) or whatever the state of the sea.
Certainly there are many rules to protect against it , the 5 F rule (Hunger, Cold, Chill, Fatigue and Thirst) or medicines and even rehabilitation . But in any case, everyone advises to stay active and not to lock yourself in a kind of torpor.
Clarisse Crémer, a sailor with the Banque Populaire team, gives us her advice on how to combat seasickness.
"You have to accept that it will pass in the end. There are plenty of sailors who get seasick and it always passes with time. The more you sail, the less you get sick. The more you get used to a particular boat, the less you get sick. A lot of sailing is already the best way to fight seasickness.
You have to leave having eaten well. Not heavy things, like a chocolate cake. But you must not leave on an empty stomach. If it's breakfast, eggs with bread for example. You should also drink well, and not hold back.
I have basics. If I don't go to the toilet, I'll get sick, if I don't eat enough I'll get sick. If I don't get enough sleep - which is a problem in ocean racing - you are bound to get sick more easily too.
Above all, you have to stay active! If you start to drift into a torpor, you don't feel very well. You want to lie down. It's a disaster!
If you have the opportunity, it is better to take the helm of the boat, to stay outside, to adjust the sails, but above all not to let yourself be overwhelmed by fatigue. You have to fight seasickness. Unless you know that you can go lie down for 48 hours and wait for it to pass. But if you want to enjoy your day, you must not let seasickness get the better of you.
There are little things to eat that go down well or poorly. Dried fruits, like salted cashews or salted almonds. It makes me feel better. You don't want to eat too much, but a little bit. Ginger works well too. Candied ginger, for example. Some people also recommend wearing anti-seasickness glasses.
If you start to feel a little cold, you should not wait because you do not want to go inside the boat. We go there, we dress well and we go out. You must not let the cold, hunger, thirst or the desire to go to the toilet happen for fear of going inside the boat.
After that, we respect the basics: don't read a book, don't stay indoors, ask someone who is less seasick to do the cooking, that's still the basics."
