A Sequel to ‘Cyclizine Sally’
Last summer the crew of Shimshal had a bracing encounter with the Davis Strait which is the stretch of frigid water between Greenland and Labrador. A place not know for calm seas and light winds. Sally, more than most, had been dreading this as she was pretty sure that her lifelong susceptibility to seasickness would descend upon her and make the Davis Strait an endurance trial rather than an adventure.
As recounted in our blog, ‘Cyclizine Sally’ the unexpected happened and Sally, thanks to the chemical cyclizine, was able to cook and read her way through the high latitudes with impunity. She had, at last, found a drug that suited her so well that she felt ‘normal’ at sea.
Fast forward to New Year’s Day 2019 and a delightful email pinged in from a friend we had met in Scoresby Sound in 2016. Since then Peter has been following our blog and kindly encouraging us along the way. He had read, ‘Cyclizine Sally’ and decided to try the drug for himself. Below is a extract from his email (reproduced with his permission). It’s not exactly scientific but it’s great that he too seems to have found a treatment to conquer his dread of rough seas!
“Having tested the 'cyclizine hydrochloride' tablets you and Sally recommended, on a very stop/start bus ride successfully a month or so ago, I tested them on a 1.5 hour boat ride round the Farne Islands yesteday. It wasn't the roughest I've been out on, but there was a swell and I 'worsened' the experience by spending plenty time looking down examining my shoes and also playing on my phone on the roughest sections - the others in the boat must have throught "why's he spending all that time on his phone is he's paid to come on a boat trip!". Anyhow I felt not the least bit queasy which is a real result for me (have been sick on a similar trip before).”
I’d like to wish everyone a very Happy and Seasick Free New Year - with or without chemicals!
Simon