GUEST
PERSPECTIVE/Jay
Park
A sailor’s test kitchen ’m not what you’d call a “foodie.” Most of my shoreside recipes begin with, “Remove meal from carton and place in microwave . . . .” And when it comes to menu planning for an ocean passage, I become more of a physiologist or, rather, “puke-npoop-ologist.” This is because the first days at sea are often about managing conflicting imperatives: the need to eat, to hydrate, and to eliminate while simultaneously avoiding activities that provoke seasickness. So, the naval ethos of forehandedness calls for a test kitchen and scope of inquiry beyond how many minutes on “high” in the microwave. I know that seasickness arises from a mismatch between the body’s motion-sensory inputs and its internal model of normal orientation to inertia and gravity. Most people’s internal model adjusts to the motion of the sea after a few days, and their susceptibility to seasickness goes away. Until that happens, however, reducing the conflict between visual and non-visual inputs, by remaining above deck with a view of the horizon, is a proven way to reduce mal de mer. Photo by Jay Park But somebody has to prepare meals, and As well as being hot and hydrating, lentil soup is slurpable from a mug, that happens belowdecks. Seasickness medi- leaving the seaborne diner’s other hand available to maintain a steadycations can help but are not entirely effective ing grip on the vessel. against nausea-provoking, visual-tracking tasks such as reading a recipe and close-up also be quick and easy to prepare with a minimum of food preparation. A side effect of medications is dehy- visual-tracking tasks. dration and consequent constipation. So the ideal meal, Lentil soup takes 14 minutes in the pressure cooker in addition to providing calories for crew energy, should and specs out at 258 calories and 16 grams of dietary have lots of dietary fiber to promote regularity. It must fiber per serving: great numbers. As well as being hot
I
Ask us about the new R31 PETER & DIANE HAYWOOD
Northeast Ranger Tugs Rendezvous August 16, 17 and 18 at Essex Island Marina in Essex, CT
R21EC R21EC
R25SC
R27 2011 Boat of The Year
R29
WINTER ISLAND YACHT YARD marine
A Full-Service Boat Yard & Ranger Tugs Dealer We Service What We Sell ●
978-745-3797 ● 3A Winter Island Road ● Salem, MA 01970 ● rangertugs@winterislandyachtyard.com ● www.wiyy.net
www.pointseast.com
Points East August 2012
19