are about to die from it, but the cure is instantaneous... just abandon ship.

Seasickness plagues even the hardiest seamen but nobody is thought to have perished from it yet.

Curious then that cargo ship Conti Blue detoured to Bermuda on Sunday to drop off a crew member suffering "severe seasickness''.

Harbour Radio was sympathetic.

"I don't know whether you die from it,'' said a spokesman. "I know when you have it you think you're going to die.'' But local ship operators were amazed. "It is very unusual. Any hours lost at sea costs money.'' Dr. Henry Subair, who has treated many medivacs in his time, was amazed too.

"It's the first case of seasickness I've ever consulted,'' he said.

"There are just so many ways to treat sufferers without diverting ships.'' So was the victim suffering from a particularly noxious version of the gut-wrenching malady? "I don't think so,'' was one answer. "I think he was suffering from homesickness. The guy just wanted to get off.'' Suffice to say, safely delivered from his maritime misery, the unfortunate sailor was doing just fine. He was flown home the same day.

"Speedy recovery or what?'' one shipping agent said.

*** As a lawyer, United Bermuda Party Senator Larry Scott should know better than to presume guilt until innocence is proven.

Be that as it may, though, the evidence was heavily stacked in his favour earlier on Wednesday.

During the Senate's debate on the Throne Speech, Sen. Scott was relating a long-winded anecdote to illustrate a point he'd made on violence when Independent Sen. Norma Astwood interjected that he get on with discussing the actual Speech.

Somewhat offended, Sen. Scott replied that Sen. Astwood would have realised the relevance of his anecdote -- which had something to do with a young man punching his car window during a traffic skirmish the night before -- if she had been "tuned in'' for the entire debate.

Earlier, Sen. Astwood had been observed with head back, eyes closed and a suspiciously steady rhythm to her breathing. Even so, she took umbrage.

"Just because a Senator rests her eyes,'' she said to much guffawing, "doesn't mean she has tuned out.'' The jury is still out on that one.

*** Soccer, they say, is a game of highs and lows.

This past week a Royal Gazette stringer and his father learned the full meaning of that cliche.

On Wednesday, the father watched the England-Nigeria football friendly at Wembley Stadium as a guest of the Football Association.

It was an evening not soon to be forgotten. Dad first dined with Nigerian team officials and British football luminaries, including former England manager Sir Walter Winterbottom, Football Association chairman Sir Bert Millichip and Lord Howell. Then it was on to watch England's 1-0 victory, from the Royal Box no less.

The post-game celebration saw our man's father clinking glasses with top British players and officials. It was a heady experience.

A few days later, dad regaled son by phone of his night with the stars. But the call had to be cut short since our scribe had to head to the sidelines at PHC Stadium.

There in the rain, without an umbrella, he took take notes on Vasco Da Gama's 0-3 drubbing by North Village for Monday's paper.