Intuitively I would think that we J Pouchers should react no better or worse to roiling sea conditions than coloned people. Last night, as an unwitting guinea pig on a ferry ride from hell that departed Key West at 5:41 p.m. and arrived in Fort Myers Beach at 11:09 p.m.. 2 hours late, I got to personally participate in an experiment not of my own design.
Here is the subject vessel, a high speed catamaran called the Atlanticat:
http://seakeywestexpress.com/fleet/atlanticat.html
Even before we boarded the captain made an announcement in the ferry terminal at Key West that rough seas were expected and that anyone who had seasickness medication should "avail themselves of it." Before we boarded, my father sternly warned me not to eat anything before or after getting on the boat. He is a very wise old man.
The first two hours were unlike anything I have ever experienced on a ferry, and I have a fair amount of experience travelling on these high speed catamarans. We had approximately 300-400 on board heading home for Thanksgiving and I am estimating about 20% of those on board got sick, some quite violently. I observed 2 young girls about 9-10 years old, eating a bunch of popcorn right after we boarded. Both threw it all up within an hour of departure. We had many senior citizens on board and there were two poor old ladies, one behind me and one in front, each with their face in a barf bag almost the whole first 3 hours puking virtually nonstop.
I never got seasick in my life or close and this includes a catamaran to Isla de Mujeres in Mexico in which it got suddenly rough and waves were washing over my head and I was drenched head to toe. However, our Mayan guides gave us some strange local brew that tasted like half medicine and half Jagermeister and that may have saved the day.
This ferry ride last night was like a roller coaster, up and down and side to side. I think it was the winds we hit or were hitting the boat and rocking it. I did not get sick in terms of throwing up but I had a strange queasy and very uncomfortable feeling overtake my body. Never felt nausea, just felt really out of sorts - extreme whole body discomfort is how I would describe it. Do you guys remember the sensation I described when I inhaled a cigar? That is exactly what it felt like, the same discomfort and total loss of appetite. I looked at my Dad and I thought he was having a headache because his hands were on both sides of his head. He later reported abdominal pain of one hour's duration until the boat stabilized. Last 3 hours were choppy but nothing like the 1st 2.
I am certain if I had not followed my father's advice and avoided food and beverage, I would have puked although I never did previously on a boat.
Any J pouchers have any experiences like this? Does it even matter if one has a J Pouch?
I also mention this because a J Poucher puking for 2 hours would NOT be a good thing, it would be DEHYDRATION CITY.
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