Deep Ocean
Deep Ocean is the unclaimed open-water region that connects the named sea zones of Windrose. It is not a single patrol territory the way Blackbeard Waters and Smugglers Waters are. Instead it is the travel medium between them, with lower density of scripted spawns, unpredictable weather, and occasional high-tier encounters that reward a well-prepared captain.
Summary
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Type | Open-sea travel region |
Controlling faction | None (unclaimed) |
Danger level | Variable; depends on proximity to named regions |
Encounter density | Low baseline; spikes during storm weather and near region borders |
Primary purpose | Long-haul travel between regions |
What to Expect
Long travel stretches between islands. Deep Ocean is the section of the map where a captain genuinely uses the sail configuration, wind angle, and full throttle range of their chosen hull.
Weather-driven difficulty. Storms in the Deep Ocean hit harder than in the named regions and can force an unplanned stop at a neutral island. Weather also shifts wind direction, which affects whether the current sail configuration remains optimal.
High-tier encounters. The named regions cap their spawns at a certain ship class; Deep Ocean occasionally spawns a scripted Frigate encounter or a named lieutenant not tied to any territorial fleet. These rolls are infrequent but disproportionately rewarding.
Blackbeard raids in transit. A captain sailing from the Coastal Jungle edge toward the Foothills can run into a Blackbeard incursion mid-crossing. The incursions carry the full Blackbeard loot profile without the regional scaling.
Shipwreck salvage sites. Debris from past battles marks several fixed Deep Ocean points where abandoned cargo and small loot caches can be recovered.
Navigation Tips
Plot routes that let you cut across Deep Ocean quickly rather than lingering. The encounter roll is random per unit of time at sea; less time exposed is fewer rolls.
Maintain a high-tier hull when crossing long stretches. A lightly upgraded Ketch is more likely to be outclassed by an unexpected Frigate spawn than a fully kitted Brigantine or Frigate.
Stock two Combat Repair Kit per planned crossing. The encounter window is wider than in the named regions, so the heal budget needs to stretch further.
Use Naval Tactics IV: Shipshape for pure-travel runs. The out-of-combat 3% hull regen every 3s adds up across a multi-segment expedition and arrives at each port at full hull without needing a Wharf visit.
See Also
Blackbeard Waters adjacent named region
Smugglers Waters adjacent named region
Ships ship selection for long travel
Naval Tactics the shipshape out-of-combat regen option
Combat Repair Kit key travel consumable