Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
out on a boat, or if you've been seasick
in the past, you might want to heed
the following suggestions:
• The day before you go out on the
boat, avoid alcohol, caffeine, citrus
and other acidic juices, and greasy,
spicy, or hard-to-digest foods.
• Get a good night's sleep the night
before.
• Take or use whatever seasickness
prevention works best for you—
medication, an acupressure wrist-
band, gingerroot tea or capsules,
or any combination. But do it
before
you board; once you set sail,
it's generally too late.
• While you're on the boat, stay as
low and as near the center of the
boat as possible. Avoid the fumes
(especially if it's a diesel boat); stay
out in the fresh air and watch the
horizon. Do not read.
• If you start to feel queasy, drink
clear fluids like water, and eat
something bland, such as a soda
cracker.
STINGS
The most common stings
in Hawaii come from jellyfish, partic-
ularly the Portuguese man-of-war and
box jellyfish. Since the poisons they
inject are very different, you need to
treat each sting differently.
A bluish-purple floating bubble
with a long tail, the
Portuguese man-
of-war
causes some 6,500 stings a year
on Oahu alone. These stings, although
painful and a nuisance, are rarely
harmful; fewer than 1 in 1,000
requires medical treatment. The best
prevention is to watch for these float-
ing bubbles as you snorkel (look for
the hanging tentacles below the sur-
face). Get out of the water if anyone
near you spots these jellyfish.
Reactions to stings range from mild
burning and reddening to severe welts
and blisters.
All Stings Considered
rec-
ommends the following treatment:
First, pick off any visible tentacles
with a gloved hand, a stick, or any-
thing handy; then rinse the sting with
salt- or freshwater, and apply ice to
prevent swelling and to help control
pain. Hawaii folklore advises using
vinegar, meat tenderizer, baking soda,
papain, or alcohol, or even urinating
on the wound, but studies have shown
that these remedies may actually cause
further damage. Most Portuguese
man-of-war stings will disappear by
themselves within 15 to 20 minutes if
you do nothing at all to treat them.
Still, be sure to see a doctor if pain
persists or a rash or other symptoms
develop.
Transparent, square-shaped
box jel-
lyfish
are nearly impossible to see in
the water. Fortunately, they seem to
follow a monthly cycle: 8 to 10 days
after the full moon, they appear in the
waters on the leeward side of each
island and hang around for about 3
days. Also, they seem to sting more in
the morning hours, when they're on or
near the surface. The best prevention
is to get out of the water.
The stings can cause anything from
no visible marks to red, hivelike welts,
blisters, and pain (a burning sensa-
tion) lasting from 10 minutes to 8
hours.
All Stings Considered
recom-
mends pouring regular household
vinegar on the sting; this may not
relieve the pain, but it will stop addi-
tional burning. Do not rub the area.
Pick off any vinegar-soaked tentacles
with a stick. For pain, apply an ice
pack. Seek additional medical treat-
ment if you experience shortness of
breath, weakness, palpitations, muscle
cramps, or any other severe symp-
toms. Again, ignore any folk remedies.
Most box jellyfish stings disappear by
themselves without any treatment.
PUNCTURES
Most sea-related
punctures come from stepping on or
brushing against the needlelike spines
of sea urchins (known locally as
wana
). Be careful when you're in the
water; don't put your foot down (even
if you have booties or fins on) if you
can't clearly see the bottom. Waves can
