Egg salad sandwiches with lots of lettuce. Nuts. Cheese and crackers. Granola bars. Peeled oranges, cherries, grapes, raw carrots, stuffed celery ribs, or whatever. I would plan on some good stick-to-the-ribs items because you will get hungry in all that fresh air.

Yes, the ocean does that. Hungry all the time, so much salt in the air, salivating, so exhilarating being surrounded by sky and water. I wish we could go on the overnight trip - just to see the stars without encumbrances. But, when we get home - a month of fish dinners. Liquids are still a problem - don't like Coke or lemonade - what else?

For mornings, I sometimes like a nicely seasoned broth in a thermos. For warmer weather afternoons, less sweet than some sodas - ginger ale.

Broth sounds good. Water is best for drinking. Turkey sandwiches, not too thick, always seemed less unappealing when the seas were high (Pacific). Too much fat can make for quease, but a little on the bread helps keep it moist and easier to eat. If they'll have boiling water in the galley, you can bring instant cereal or noodle cups and spoons...if the sea is calm. Crunchy vegetables. Apples. Nut butter or hummus. Not dairy. I once forgot I would be in a boat and had yoghurt for breakfast. :( Keep it simple. Save the fancy celebratory meals for your catch. :) Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, Nancy! Have fun, I do hope you catch lots of fish.

OK, so food on a boat. For drinking I always go with water, maybe iced tea but I drink mine plain, not sweet. Sweet drinks just seem to make me more thirsty.

Food should be not too greasy, not too spicy and not too messy, because if it's a little rough it's harder to handle. The last time we were out in the Atlantic watching whales, Ashley was eating PopTarts and hot dogs,while most of the other people on the boat were hanging over the sides being sick, so it depends on how well your stomach reacts. I like hummus spread on a tortilla or wrap, it's not messy and can be eaten with no utensils. Peanut butter on celery is good too, I just spread the peanut butter on the celery and stick two pieces together, so the peanut butter stays inside. Cheese and crackers or cheese with good bread is simple and not messy, and fruit is always an option.

I never forget to take crystallized ginger, as it's good for upset stomachs and those motion sickness tablets put me to sleep. Ginger Ale and saltine crackers might work well for that too.

Most of all, just have fun!

Annie

Sounds like a blast! I'll sneak aboard...

I'd come with my oversized travel mug of coffee, pre-loaded. (5 AM, after all!)

Once we got underway, I'd consider breakfast: hard boiled eggs for the protein, maybe a banana, some strawberries. Coffee cake or a home-made pound cake, already sliced?

Beverages during the day: iced tea (unsweetened or sweetened, but preferably unsweetened), seltzer water with wedges of lemon or lime, that ginger ale if you are prone to tummy upsets in rocking waters. I like the idea of the broth.

Bring tea sandwiches in the cooler, maybe some cheese already sliced, a tub or two of hummus (vary the flavors), and whatever you like to dip into the hummus (I like veggies for dipping, but tortilla chips would work, too.)

Seedless grapes, some homemade cookies (you may end up sharing those...)

If you are feeling really adventurous, the day before, make stuffed grape leaves and / or Vietnamese summer rolls. They take time, however, but they are tasty finger foods that need no re-heating on the boat.

Pace your eating... Small but frequent gnoshes are better than a couple heavy meals out at sea.

We like the cheese that comes sliced in the sticks and individually wrapped. I like tortillia wraps with egg, bacon, and cheese or chicken salad. Any of the Kind breakfast bars.

Bring your sushi chef, a bottle of soy sauce, and some fresh wasabi.

I don't get seasick - I love being on the ocean (and lake, stream, pond, mud puddle). Thanks for your suggestions!

Nice birthday gift!

I'm OCD about any travel. Be it 2 hour, 1/2 day, full day, 3-4 day, car, boat, air.

I grew up on the water and both sides of my family had beach houses and boats. My uncle had two marinas, one on the Chesapeake and on in Florida. My cousins run both now.

I acquired about 8 dozen juice bottles a few years ago and have them in my freezer door full of filtered water, some 1/3d filled as ice, my granola, tea with ginger, and a homemade juice blend similar to a v-8. A nut, seed, chocolate granola, and dried fruit blend.

Easy to grab and pack...the full water is ice for the carry backpack cooler to keep sandwiches cold. That shelf in the freezer holds bout 24 so when it gets low I re-stock. Thick, PBA free, washable.

Sandwiches are on a thin sliced marble rye from a local bakery...a tuna that is full of veg, celery, olives, dried fruit, toasted nuts and seeds, diced apple. Not much mayo, but mustard. And a turkey, ham and Swiss. All cut into fours. 2-3 bite small sammy's. The bread is sturdy and holds up to overnight prep-ahead and not messy.

For some reason after so many years travel, those simple two sandwiches hit the mark even though we almost never have them the rest of the year.

We have a 'boat load' of the llbean boat-n-toat canvas bags. Zip-top large and x-tra large. Always packed with a couple nice ponchos and a couple cheap ones from Ikea. A handful of packaged snack and first aide kit.

One large bag and a backpack cooler is enough for a day trip and will serve extra people in an emergency. A few extra water bottles and a thin fleece jacket only fills the canvas bag half.

I don't go this overboard but do have some rotation of packaged favorites I stock each trip...

Most I never touch myself, but my pre-teen nephew only remembers the Justin nut butter packet in his delirium....both he and my BIL spent the night in the hospital from dehydration and hypothermia. (I had six stitches to my forehead) but I was fine.

BIL and nephew will never get on a boat again.

We have a boat and beach home and on the water as much as possible. Always prepared. Pack a rotation of just a few favorites. We could end up ashore in a storm and have what we need no mater the outcome...good to be prepared at least for 24-48hrs even if the trip is 4-6 hours....

That little lg boat-n-toat weighs nothing and the soft sided back-pack cooler, tiny. Holds allow need and even enough for strangers if needed...extra water, snacks.

Surprising how many are so un-prepared. Even a calm day on the ocean.

For me it would be dry crackers and bottled water :-) If I am out on the ocean, I want the least amount of stuff possible in my stomach.....I am fine with seasickness as long as I don't eat. Don't even like to around food. I remember when I accompanied my not yet husband and his fishing partner out on his commercial fishing boat off the coast of WA state. They wanted me to fix lunch for them......no effing way!! Ditto a cruise in Mexico to a remote location - beer and BBQ on the way back but not for me!!

However, if this is not a concern for you, the suggestions already made sound delightful.

I have gotten seasick, but that was on very choppy waters on a Washington State ferry from Victoria BC to Port Angeles Washington.

I would take nuts (almonds & cashews) and some Pumpernickel pretzels and perhaps some sesame sticks. I get all of these from Trader Joe's. Grapes would be nice also, and perhaps some chocolate covered cherries and chocolate covered almonds. I would also want the triple ginger gingersnaps from TJ's and maybe some other ginger candy, to help settle my stomach. Eggs would definitely make me throw up, but a turkey sandwich might be okay.

For picnics, I often make braided bread that is filled with cold cuts and cheese. I use a focaccia recipe for this. My favorite sandwich would be Muffaletta.

I can't speak to fishing charters, but can tell you my and my late husband's experience being on Race Committee, which means being out on the water for 3-5 hrs, on a boat that is anchored to be the starting line and finish line. The yacht club always provided various sandwiches - ham/cheese, turkey, PB&J. They also provided lots of beverages, in particular, bottled water. And cookies - lots of cookies, in particular Fig Newtons were always a favorite. For the last race of the season, we were VERY lucky and got lobster rolls!!! Fabulous!

No bananas...fishermen are a superstitious group and bananas on board are considered bad luck. : )

Finger sandwiches of various types or perhaps a large muffalettta/compressed sandwich round that can be cut into wedges on-board. Pickles- tasty and helps keep your electrolytes balanced while out in the sun on the boat.

Hard boiled eggs or perhaps make mini-muffin omelettes in advance. Actual muffins, crackers and cheese, fresh fruit or veggies already cut up, nuts, crackers.

Broth was a wonderful suggestion, I would add a chilled soup to that too. There's a handful of hot and cold pourable/drinkable soups.

Dried crackers and water for a 12 hour stint at sea? I'd be miserable...

Hmm, never knew bananas were considered bad luck? What's the story behind this?

Oh, so the trip is already over and you wasted our time?, lol. Oh well.

I have my own boat so no others bump and annoy. Guests get left behind if late to the dock...: )

Before we had our own boat we only did private charters...1/2 day and worth it.

sleevendog - I asked and got a lot of suggestions days before I went out yesterday so I don't think I wasted y'all's time.

The suggestions will still be valid for others who go boating besides enjoying the interesting stories they related here and are good for any long trip.

All the ideas will not only be good for a boat trip, but also camping, car trip, goof off day, and snacks for kids. Even the crackers, lol. My oldest grandson loves to snack on a sleeve of crackers.

I was kidding. I always think posts are helpful even if off topic as so many do not post, just read.

PB and J is another one I rarely like except when traveling. I don't care for packaging waste but the Justin packets are so convenient to keep in our cary-on luggage.

I just harvest young tender grape leaves. Looking for recipes but as long as they have lots of lemon, savory with nuts and seeds, maybe chopped dates to balance the acidity. Good for our next trip. I usually freeze packets of whole leaves for the holidays but I should make some ready-made for the freezer....

Glad you had a great trip, even if you couldn't fully fill that freezer!

"Dried crackers and water for a 12 hour stint at sea? I'd be miserable..."

LOL!! And I'd be miserable and upchucking over the side of the boat if I attempted anything more substantial :-) Big boats - ferries, cruise ships - OK. Fishing boats on the open sea.....not so much.

Gardengal: I probably have a cast iron stomach... the only time I had a problem was when we did a little too much imbibing the night before... and the next day the seas were rough. I intensely dislike dry crackers to begin with, so I'd have to have something else anyway. Them things would not have helped me out whatsoever that day!

Oh, dear! You've brought back memories of college when a friend and I, straight from finals, sailed with relatives to the far side of a local island for a couple nights. I was coming down off of three days of washing No-Doze down with coffee to get through a huge project. 8-10 ft. seas. Pitching, rolling and yawing. Ugh! I did not eat on the way out. :) I mostly slept, when I didn't have to work.

Nancy, thanks for the report! It sounds like you had a good catch, even if it wasn't a whole freezerful. Fifty people on a small boat doesn't sound so great, but it sounds like you had fun, anyway. You mentioned finding someone else to go out with: Perhaps you can see if there's an anglers' club where you'll be next time? They might have a trip you can go on as a guest, or be able to recommend better boats.