Thats an old one Jan. I remember being given that advice on the ould sea crossings back and forth to Dublin. Cue for the ould Princess Maud again. It didnt matter where you stood, the thing rattled and rumbled back and forth without the use of any of those modern niceties that all you modern big softies need, like stabilisers, or rails to keep the customers from falling overboard
okay they had rails but there were horrifying areas on deck with just a chain swung across the open spaces.
Coupled with that they used to carry cattle in the deck below...so the smell from their inevitable ermmm..bowel movements, coupled with the dreadful lurching of the ship and only the hardened sailor could make it across without upchucking into the wind. Ye get terrible howling gales in the Irish Sea, its in that unfortunate weather pattern, and upchucking without covering yourself in...glory..was an art in itself.