Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [45]
SEASICKNESS The waters off Kauai can range from calm as glass to downright frightening (in storm conditions), and they usually fall somewhere in between; in general, expect rougher conditions in winter than in summer.
Some 90% of the population tends toward seasickness. If you’ve never been out on a boat or if you’ve gotten 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 wristband, ginger root tea or capsules, or any combination—before you board; once you set sail, it’s generally too late.
• Once you’re on the water, 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.
Don’t Get Burned: Smart Tanning Tips
Tanning just ain’t what it used to be. Hawaii’s Caucasian population has a higher incidence of the deadly skin cancer malignant melanoma than the population anywhere else in the United States. But none of us are safe from the sun’s harmful rays: People of all skin types and races can burn when exposed to the sun too long.
To ensure that your vacation won’t be ruined by a painful, throbbing sunburn, here are some helpful tips on how to tan safely and painlessly:
• Wear a strong sunscreen at all times, and use lots of it. Use a sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher; people with a light complexion should use 30. Apply sunscreen as soon as you get out of the shower in the morning, and at least 30 minutes before you’re exposed to the sun. No matter what the label says—even if the sunscreen is waterproof—reapply it every 2 hours and immediately after swimming.
• Read the labels. To avoid developing allergies to sunscreens, avoid those that contain para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). Look for a sunscreen with zinc oxide, talc, or titanium dioxide, which reduce the risk of developing skin allergies. For the best protection from UVA rays (which can cause wrinkles and premature aging), check the label for zinc oxide, benzophenone, oxybenzone, sulisobenzone, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789).
• Wear a hat and sunglasses. And make sure that your sunglasses have UV filters.
• Avoid being in the sun between 9am and 3pm. Use extra caution during these peak hours. Remember that a beach umbrella is not protection enough from the sun’s harmful UV rays; in fact, with the reflection from the water, the sand, and even the sidewalk, some 85% of the ultraviolet rays are still bombarding you.
• Protect children from the sun, and keep infants out of the sun altogether. Infants under 6 months should not be in the sun at all. Older babies need zinc oxide to protect their fragile skin, and children should be slathered with sunscreen every hour. The burns that children get today predict what their future with skin cancer will be tomorrow.
If you start to turn red, get out of the sun. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to turn red to tan; if your skin is red, it’s burned—and that’s serious. The redness from a burn may not show until 2 to 8 hours after you get out of the sun, and the full force of that burn may not appear for 24 to 36 hours. During that time, you can look forward to pain, itching, and peeling. The best remedy for a sunburn is to get out of the sun immediately and stay out of the sun until all the redness is gone. Aloe vera (straight from the plant or from a commercial preparation), cool compresses, cold baths, and anesthetic benzocaine may also help ease the pain of sunburn.
If you’ve decided to get a head start on your tan by using a self-tanning lotion that dyes your skin a darker shade, remember that this will not protect you from the sun.