How to Avoid Seasickness on a Fishing Charter — 10 Tips

Costa Rica Fishing CompanySeptember 22, 2026

Why Seasickness Happens

Seasickness is a form of motion sickness. Your inner ear feels the boat rolling while your eyes, focused on the deck or a phone, report that nothing is moving. That mismatch between the signals is what triggers dizziness, sweating and nausea.

Almost anyone can feel it in the right conditions, and many people adapt after a while on the water. The good news is that a few simple steps before and during your trip make a big difference.

Tips 1–2: Choose the Right Charter and Time

1. If you are prone to motion sickness, start inshore. Inshore charters stay near the coast in calmer, more protected water, while offshore trips head into open-ocean swell for 7 to 9 hours.

2. Pick a morning departure. In Quepos the sea is generally calmest in the morning, which is why our Half-Day Inshore charter offers a 7:00 AM start as well as 1:00 PM.

Tips 3–4: Prepare the Night Before

3. Sleep well and skip the alcohol: tiredness and a hangover both make motion sickness worse. 4. Eat a light, plain breakfast — toast, crackers or fruit — and avoid heavy, greasy or spicy food. An empty stomach doesn't help either, and keep drinking water throughout the trip.

Tip 5: Talk to a Pharmacist About Medication

5. Motion-sickness medicine works best when taken before you board, not once you already feel sick. Over-the-counter antihistamines are usually taken 30 to 60 minutes before travel and can cause drowsiness, while prescription scopolamine patches are applied several hours ahead. Ask a doctor or pharmacist which option suits you — especially for children, during pregnancy or if you take other medication — and follow the label.

Tips 6–8: Where to Stand and Where to Look

6. Stay near the middle of the boat and low down, where the motion is gentlest. 7. Keep your eyes on the horizon or a fixed point on land and avoid reading or looking at your phone. 8. Get fresh air on deck and stay away from engine exhaust, which can make nausea worse.

Tips 9–10: Stay Busy and Act Early

9. Keep busy: holding a rod, watching the lines and fighting a fish keep your eyes and mind on the water. 10. Speak up early. Tell the crew as soon as you feel off — they can move you to a better spot, and sipping water or nibbling a dry cracker in the fresh air often helps. The crew has seen it all, so there's no reason to be embarrassed.

Which Charter Is Best if You Get Seasick?

Our Half-Day Inshore charter is the gentlest option: 5 hours in calmer coastal water, with a 7:00 AM departure when the sea is usually at its calmest. If you want to try offshore, pick the 3/4-Day Offshore (back by 2:00 PM) before committing to a 9-hour Full Day, and follow the tips above.

The 10 Tips at a Glance

Here are all ten tips, at a glance:

• Start with an inshore charter
• Choose a morning departure
• Sleep well and skip the alcohol
• Eat a light breakfast and stay hydrated
• Ask a pharmacist; take medication before boarding
• Stay in the middle of the boat, low down
• Watch the horizon; no reading or screens
• Get fresh air and avoid engine fumes
• Keep busy with the rod and the lines
• Tell the crew early if you feel off

More local fishing guides on our partner site: manuelantoniofishingcharter.com

• Seasickness
• Fishing Tips
• Inshore Fishing
• First-Time Anglers
• Quepos
• Sport Fishing