Seasickness on the Klein Curaçao powerboat crossing

What the crossing actually feels like

Outbound in the morning is often kinder. The return, with afternoon wind, is when people remember the powerboat. You will feel every chop. Sitting forward is wetter and livelier. Mid-boat and looking at the horizon is the amateur strategy that works.

Cats still move — they just move with more beam. If you need the island and you are borderline, take the catamaran. Klein Curaçao is not improved by vomiting on the swim platform.

What actually helps

Medication that you have used before, taken on the schedule the box says — usually before you leave the hotel, not at the dock. Ginger helps some people and is not a miracle. Alcohol the night before does not help. A greasy breakfast does not help.

If the forecast is ugly and your ticket allows free cancellation, use it. Powerboats cancel more than cats in poor seas. That is a feature. Do not talk a captain into going because you “only have today.”

What to expect on the day

1. 1A briefing that includes how to sit and when to hold on — listen to it.
2. 2Spray and noise. Conversation on the crossing is not a seminar.
3. 3Possible afternoon chop on the way home, even if the morning was friendly.
4. 4Less indoor space than a catamaran if you need to lie down.
5. 5A landing on Klein Curaçao that feels earned. Drink water before you walk to the lighthouse.

Frequently asked questions