Sea Skills: Risks at Sea
In the Second World War, the sea was not just waves and weather. It was full of hidden dangers: minefields laid across shipping routes, wrecks just below the surface, rocks, shoals, and shallow patches where a ship could run aground in seconds.
Navigators marked these hazards carefully on their charts with symbols and notes. A line in the wrong place could send a convoy straight into a minefield or onto a reef. Spotting danger before you sail into it is one of the most important sea skills.
What are you looking out for?
- Minefields – in wartime, these were often shown as shaded areas with warning notes. Sailing through them could be fatal.
- Rocks and shoals – marked with special symbols and depth numbers. Even in peacetime, these can tear open a hull.
- Wrecks – sunken ships shown with a little symbol and depth. Some stick up close to the surface.
- Safe channels and buoys – these help you thread your way through danger, marking the route where there is enough water.
In this game you are looking at a simplified World War II style sketch chart of a coastal area. Your job is to spot and click on the hazards your escort vessel must avoid as it guides a convoy through the danger zone.
Minefield and Hazards Game
Read your orders, then click on the correct hazards on the cartoon chart. Some symbols mean danger, others are safe. Can you pick them out before the convoy sails?
Orders
Click “New orders” to begin your patrol.
Symbols:
- ✷ Minefield marker
- ⛰ Rock or reef
- ⚓ Safe anchorage
- ⚐ Buoy or channel mark
- ⚠ Wreck
Challenge: once you can spot the hazards, sketch your own small chart and invent a safer route for the convoy to follow.
Why this mattered in WWII
In wartime, minefields were often laid secretly and moved as the war went on. Escort commanders relied on up-to-date charts and clear instructions. A tired officer missing a symbol in the middle of the night could lead an entire convoy into danger.
Learning to read hazards quickly is still important today, whether you are in a small dinghy or on a larger vessel.
Cartoon Hazard Chart
North is up. Click on the symbols that match your orders. Some squares are just harmless sea.
This is a simplified training chart. On a real Admiralty chart, hazards have precise symbols and depths, and minefields are described in navigation warnings and routeing instructions.