Charts & Maps (Detailed)

Acquire and use all charts and maps in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Navigate the Great Sea effectively with the Sea Chart and Triforce Charts.

The vast Great Sea of Hyrule can be daunting to navigate, but with the right charts and maps, you'll uncover every secret and treasure it holds. This section details how to acquire and utilize every crucial navigational aid, from the basic Sea Chart to the elusive Triforce Charts.

The Sea Chart: Your Primary Guide

The Sea Chart is your most fundamental tool for traversing the Great Sea. It begins blank, but as you explore new quadrants, their outlines will slowly fill in. To fully reveal a quadrant and mark important landmarks, you must use your Tingle Tuner (GameCube) or Tingle Bottle (HD Remake) to contact Tingle at a specific Fishman location within each quadrant. The Fishman will then sell you the detailed chart for that area for a small fee (usually 20 Rupees).

• Acquisition: The initial blank Sea Chart is given to you by the King of Red Lions early in your adventure.
• Revelation: Sail into an unexplored quadrant. Locate the Fishman (represented by a small fish icon on your map once you're close enough). Speak to him, and he will offer to fill in your chart for 20 Rupees. This reveals all islands, reefs, and points of interest.
• Strategy: Prioritize filling in charts for areas you plan to explore extensively or where story objectives lead. mark points of interest with your Picto Box or by dropping buoys for later reference!

Treasure Charts: Locating Sunken Riches

Treasure Charts are your key to uncovering the countless sunken chests scattered across the Great Sea. Each chart corresponds to a specific quadrant and marks the exact location of a submerged treasure. To retrieve these treasures, you'll need the Grappling Hook.

• Acquisition: Treasure Charts are found in various ways:
  • Dungeon Chests: Many dungeons contain Treasure Charts as rewards for solving puzzles or defeating mini-bosses.
  • Side Quests: Completing certain side quests for NPCs can yield Treasure Charts.
  • Enemy Drops: Occasionally, defeating specific enemies (especially larger ones or those guarding islands) might drop a Treasure Chart.
  • Submarines: Defeating all enemies within a submarine will often reward you with a Treasure Chart.
  • Eye-Reefs: Clearing out all cannons on an Eye-Reef will sometimes reveal a chest containing a Treasure Chart.
• Usage:
  1. Open your Sea Chart and select the Treasure Chart from your inventory.
  2. The chart will overlay onto the Great Sea map, indicating the quadrant where the treasure is located and marking the precise spot with an 'X'.
  3. Sail to the indicated quadrant and position the King of Red Lions directly over the 'X'.
  4. Equip your Grappling Hook and use it. If you're in the correct spot, you'll automatically reel in a treasure chest.
• Rewards: Sunken treasures often contain valuable Rupees (sometimes hundreds!), rare items like the Piece of Heart, or even other useful charts.

Triforce Charts: The Ultimate Scavenger Hunt

The Triforce Charts are arguably the most important and challenging charts to acquire and decipher. There are eight of these charts, each leading to a piece of the shattered Triforce of Courage. Unlike regular Treasure Charts, Triforce Charts are written in an ancient Hylian script and require the services of Tingle to be deciphered.

• Acquisition: Triforce Charts are typically found in the later stages of the game, often within the deepest dungeons or as rewards for significant challenges.
  • Chart 1: Savage Labyrinth (Outset Island)
  • Chart 2: Private Oasis (Cabana)
  • Chart 3: Ghost Ship (Various locations, changes with moon phase)
  • Chart 4: Islet of Steel
  • Chart 5: Needle Rock Isle
  • Chart 6: Stone Watcher Island
  • Chart 7: Overlook Island
  • Chart 8: Two-Eye Reef
• Deciphering: Once you obtain a Triforce Chart, it's useless in its original form. You must take it to Tingle, who resides in his jail cell on Tingle Island (Quadrant G-3). For a hefty fee of 398 Rupees per chart, Tingle will decipher it, transforming it into a usable Triforce Shard.
• Usage: After deciphering, the Triforce Shard functions like a regular Treasure Chart, marking the location of a sunken Triforce piece on your Sea Chart. Sail to the 'X' and use your Grappling Hook to retrieve the Triforce Shard.
• Strategy: Start saving Rupees early! Deciphering all eight charts will cost a staggering 3184 Rupees. Consider selling valuable items like Joy Pendants or Knight's Crests if you're short on cash. The Magic Armor can also be a good investment for avoiding damage while collecting Rupees.

Special Maps & Other Navigational Aids

• Dungeon Maps: Found within each dungeon, these maps reveal the layout of the current dungeon, including rooms, locked doors, and key locations. Essential for progression.
• Compass: Also found within dungeons, the Compass marks the location of all treasure chests (including the Big Key chest) and the boss chamber on your dungeon map.
• Fishman's Notes: While not a map, the Fishman in each quadrant provides valuable information about that specific area, sometimes hinting at hidden islands, enemy locations, or treasure. Always speak to them after filling in a chart!
• Swift Sail (HD Remake Only): While not a map, this item significantly speeds up travel across the Great Sea, allowing you to reach chart locations much faster. Obtainable from the Auction House on Windfall Island after completing the Forsaken Fortress.