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Land Sickness


LadyR

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33 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

I did a week aboard a tall ship in moderately blustery weather many years ago, and when we first stepped back ashore it was a totally bizarre feeling to walk on solid ground, that didn't move. It took a few hours to adjust. But over time, you definitely do adjust, just as you adjusted to being aboard in the first place.

 

I have noticed a much less extreme version of this syndrome recently- it happens if I've not stepped ashore (for any significant time) over a period of days. 

But it never persists for very long.

I find that a ten mile round trip- cycling to the nearest shop- is a great cure.

Typically I bump along the towpath for half a mile or so, then do another mile or two down rutted, potholed and often muddy lanes, and finally a mile or two more into civilisation- usually, I must admit, to procure a beer ration- and generally speaking, by the time I arrive at the shop or supermarket du jour, my body and senses are so grateful to just not be cycling any more, and to be walking upon smooth concrete (and more importantly within easy reach of liquid groceries), that the sensitive gyroscopic balance systems within my inner ear, that might otherwise have taken issue with me stepping ashore, make no fuss at all.

 

 

Thank you very much for your reply. I must admit I’ve struggled today being unsteady on my feet hence not had the motivation to get out, but if it still persists tomorrow, I will have a good few mile walk/jog and see if that makes the difference. All the best. 

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19 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I spend about 80% of my time on the boat but never get feelings of swaying when I spend time on land. What sort of waters are you lot boating on? Canals aren't exactly lumpy water.

 

 

The simple reason for that is that for some reason its not a phenomenon that affects everybody. Or after a while they develop an 'immunity' to it if spending a lot of time aboard, which you obviously do.

 

As you have discovered.

 

For us (my wife confirmed she remembers feeling it too) it was a combination of narrow canals, wide canals and rivers).

 

I dont think that makes a massive difference though, the issue is the movement of the boat not what it's floating on.

 

HTH.

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59 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

I had some carpets and lino fitted a couple of years ago. The carpet fitter said that it was the weirdest fitting they had ever done, and they both felt a bit queasy. I hardly notice any movement on board, or lack of it when ashore.

I once had someone on boat who felt violently seàsick after a couple of minutes. Telling her that we were sitting aground in mud on a drying mooring had no effect she just had to stand on the pontoon.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, LadyR said:

Thank you very much for your reply. I must admit I’ve struggled today being unsteady on my feet hence not had the motivation to get out, but if it still persists tomorrow, I will have a good few mile walk/jog and see if that makes the difference. All the best. 

 

I will apologise LadyR for the irreverence of my tone in replying earlier, and in appearing to suggest that a certain cure for having 'land legs' was to cycle to the nearest off-licence. 

 

But my silliness aside, people are affected by this issue to varying degrees, and it would appear that you are perhaps a bit more affected than most. 

 

 I think there is a germ of sense in my own solution- which is to get on land and stomp about a fair bit (or cycle, in my case). 

The same adaptability that caused your senses to become accustomed to the boat movement in the first place will surely work in your favour, by getting you reacquainted with solid ground. 

 

In my case I have no option- I typically have to travel a few miles in order to obtain supplies, and that demolishes any vestiges of land legs that I might have. 

But I would imagine the fastest way for your body to re-adapt to solid ground is to spend time walking upon it- and during this time, to not spend time dwelling on the land legs issue, but rather to just to enjoy the local surroundings. 

 

As I'm on the Llangollen, with lots of enthusiastic and very speedy boaters passing all day long, I have developed a habit of tying up the boat more securely than a man awaiting a hurricane, and I think reducing the boat's movement whilst moored might also be a factor in reducing the land legs issue to just an amusing and momentary novelty.

 

 

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23 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

The simple reason for that is that for some reason its not a phenomenon that affects everybody. Or after a while they develop an 'immunity' to it if spending a lot of time aboard, which you obviously do.

 

As you have discovered.

 

For us (my wife confirmed she remembers feeling it too) it was a combination of narrow canals, wide canals and rivers).

 

I dont think that makes a massive difference though, the issue is the movement of the boat not what it's floating on.

 

HTH.

Thanks. Yeah, I think it’s the simple motion, I think it must affect everyone differently no matter how subtle. Strange phenomena isn’t it, laying down and sitting still makes it worse. Hoping for a better day tomorrow. 

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6 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

I will apologise LadyR for the irreverence of my tone in replying earlier, and in appearing to suggest that a certain cure for having 'land legs' was to cycle to the nearest off-licence. 

 

But my silliness aside, people are affected by this issue to varying degrees, and it would appear that you are perhaps a bit more affected than most. 

 

 I think there is a germ of sense in my own solution- which is to get on land and stomp about a fair bit (or cycle, in my case). 

The same adaptability that caused your senses to become accustomed to the boat movement in the first place will surely work in your favour, by getting you reacquainted with solid ground. 

 

In my case I have no option- I typically have to travel a few miles in order to obtain supplies, and that demolishes any vestiges of land legs that I might have. 

But I would imagine the fastest way for your body to re-adapt to solid ground is to spend time walking upon it- and during this time, to not spend time dwelling on the land legs issue, but rather to just to enjoy the local surroundings. 

 

As I'm on the Llangollen, with lots of enthusiastic and very speedy boaters passing all day long, I have developed a habit of tying up the boat more securely than a man awaiting a hurricane, and I think reducing the boat's movement whilst moored might also be a factor in reducing the land legs issue to just an amusing and momentary novelty.

 

 

No need to apologise, it might me helpful in this case for me to also “jog” to the nearest off license :D we’re returning to the boat at the weekend to continue our journey, but this disturbance is quietly putting me off.  I didn’t have much time off the boat, only to fill up the water & diesel tanks, to which I thought the office where I paid was floating on water to my amusement at the time, I thought it would be short lived and a “one off” and saw the funny side, till I’ve come back to reality and it’s ugly head has followed me. Hoping for some relief after a good sleep. 

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Its because you are new boating and your head needs to adjust. When we used to spend a long time at sea, once several weeks in the North Atlantic/arctic for instance when returning ashore on the way to a pub we used to walk a little funny but it very quickly wore off. If you live on a boat, even something as tiny as a narrowboat at first the same thing happens but if you do it for many years you will never be effected and go from boat to land and vice versa without change.

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12 hours ago, Bacchus said:

The other weird thing I experience after time afloat is driving. However hard I try, I don't seem to be able to drift the car towards the kerb... and as for putting it into reverse to stop -- shall we just say there's no prop-walk (c:

 

I find that keeping my speed to no more than 4 miles per hour doesn't seem to be appreciated by other motorists.

Edited by David Mack
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20 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Its because you are new boating and your head needs to adjust. When we used to spend a long time at sea, once several weeks in the North Atlantic/arctic for instance when returning ashore on the way to a pub we used to walk a little funny but it very quickly wore off. If you live on a boat, even something as tiny as a narrowboat at first the same thing happens but if you do it for many years you will never be effected and go from boat to land and vice versa without change.

I hope so. Still feeling a little wobbly this morning, but hoping it wears off after a day at work :)

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10 hours ago, LadyR said:

No need to apologise, it might me helpful in this case for me to also “jog” to the nearest off license :D we’re returning to the boat at the weekend to continue our journey, but this disturbance is quietly putting me off.  I didn’t have much time off the boat, only to fill up the water & diesel tanks, to which I thought the office where I paid was floating on water to my amusement at the time, I thought it would be short lived and a “one off” and saw the funny side, till I’ve come back to reality and it’s ugly head has followed me. Hoping for some relief after a good sleep. 

It often happens to me if we've been on a boat for more than a week, but usually goes away within a day or so. It's because your inner ear/brain has learned to interpret gentle side-to-side rocking as the world being stationary and tuned it out; when the movement stops on land (in my case, often when sitting in a pub in the evening...) your brain then thinks you're rocking the other way. Anything which involves a lot of movement like walking or running may help to reset your system and make the problem go away.

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15 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

And 'narrowboat twist' where you walk with one shoulder slightly forward to squeeze down the corridor.

"Slightly" ? Me and my wife do the sideways limbo windmill dance to get down the corridor 

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1 hour ago, IanD said:

It often happens to me if we've been on a boat for more than a week, but usually goes away within a day or so. It's because your inner ear/brain has learned to interpret gentle side-to-side rocking as the world being stationary and tuned it out; when the movement stops on land (in my case, often when sitting in a pub in the evening...) your brain then thinks you're rocking the other way. Anything which involves a lot of movement like walking or running may help to reset your system and make the problem go away.

Thanks. Planning a run after work. Got to be worth a go or my narrowboating days could be over very quickly 😞 

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LadyR have you thought about taking Stugeron? 
I dulls the balance organs in the inner ear, often a cause of the Mal de mer.

When I sailed offshore I’d take them for a couple of day when we set sail. Was okay with the motion after that.

I actually enjoyed the motion on coming ashore.

 

Edited by Ray T
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Seriously, can extent of 'boat head' have something to do with ballasting of das boot? When I am at the tiller, I can tell when crew is stationary and when a coffee is making its way to me. If you/the boat is more heavily ballasted there should be less rocking motion and maybe less lasting effect when back on land.

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10 minutes ago, Opener said:

Seriously, can extent of 'boat head' have something to do with ballasting of das boot? When I am at the tiller, I can tell when crew is stationary and when a coffee is making its way to me. If you/the boat is more heavily ballasted there should be less rocking motion and maybe less lasting effect when back on land.

That’s a good thought!  This is something we will look into once back to home mooring it’s going in for blacking in a few weeks, so will enquire about the ballast whilst it’s out of water!  It’s day two now and I’m still suffering. Admittedly not as bad while I’m walking around, but as soon as I sit down, or stand still it’s off again.   

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Boats do weird things to you. Just come back from a few days in a ditch. Usually get a degree of boat head. But at one point, in a known shallow mooring, I had to get off the boat and rock it. I was convinced we were aground cos I was not conscious of any movement as I moved around the boat.

I would hope you get used to the motion otherwise you'll miss out on the joys of boating in torrential rain/ howling wind / etc. Maybe Stugeron  is a short-term answer till you 'get your legs'.

PS - what is Mal de Mayor? Is having a problem with your Local Authority?

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42 minutes ago, Opener said:

Boats do weird things to you. Just come back from a few days in a ditch. Usually get a degree of boat head. But at one point, in a known shallow mooring, I had to get off the boat and rock it. I was convinced we were aground cos I was not conscious of any movement as I moved around the boat.

I would hope you get used to the motion otherwise you'll miss out on the joys of boating in torrential rain/ howling wind / etc. Maybe Stugeron  is a short-term answer till you 'get your legs'.

PS - what is Mal de Mayor? Is having a problem with your Local Authority?

Mal De Mer | Definition of Mal De Mer by Merriam-Webster

 

Stugeron = Cinnarizine - an antihistamine. Side effects and dosage | Patient

Edited by Ray T
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I can't say that I have ever experienced 'boat head' after returning from a stay on the boat.

 

When we hired and had shared ownership boats, I did get a sensation of terrific speed for the first  few seconds when driving the car back home, which I enjoyed greatly.

 

Now that I have an end of garden mooring and walk from the boat back to the house sadly I dont get any such sensation of speed. 😣

Edited by cuthound
Spillung
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Just a thought, but would stepping off the boat and walking along the towpath  for a while a few times a day help? In this way perhaps your body won't get so used to the boat movement and will hopefully not need a lot of readjusting when you go home. Even walking to the shops or the pub might help. Anything to mix the boat and land based activities

 

haggis

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27 minutes ago, haggis said:

Just a thought, but would stepping off the boat and walking along the towpath  for a while a few times a day help? In this way perhaps your body won't get so used to the boat movement and will hopefully not need a lot of readjusting when you go home. Even walking to the shops or the pub might help. Anything to mix the boat and land based activities

 

haggis

Yes, I will try this. We virtually spent a week on the boat with very little off the boat time, which was nice, but not doing me any favours x

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