You’ve got a boat ready and enough fuel for the trip, but the Deep Sea entrance is still closed. If your Rust server has just wiped, check the Lighthouse before you sail all the way to the edge of the map.
Climb to the top of any Lighthouse and hit the damaged lamp with a Hammer while carrying the repair materials. The Deep Sea opens as soon as the repair is complete, and the normal opening and closing cycle starts from there.
Why The Deep Sea Is Closed After A Wipe
On maps with a Lighthouse, the first Deep Sea opening now depends on players repairing the lamp. Waiting at the coast won’t advance that first opening. If your group wants to be among the first boats through, plan the repair and the trip together.
This is a shared objective across the server. Every Lighthouse draws from the same repair progress, so a crew on the other side of the map can finish what you started. Maps without a Lighthouse begin with the Deep Sea cycle already active. On those maps, look for the current opening instead of searching for a tower.
What To Bring To The Lighthouse
Bring a Hammer, Tech Trash, and High Quality Metal (HQM). The listed cost for a full repair is 20 Tech Trash and 200 HQM. That’s the total for an untouched lamp. If other players have already added materials, check what’s still needed before you carry a full load up the tower.
Smelt any High Quality Metal Ore before the trip. If your crew is pooling resources, check both stacks before you leave the base. It’s easy to collect enough HQM and still come up short on Tech Trash. On a busy server, send one player to check the monument first and bring the rest of the materials once the route is clear.
How To Repair A Rust Lighthouse
- Find a Lighthouse on the coast and climb to the lamp at the top.
- Equip your Hammer and check the damaged lamp for its remaining repair requirements.
- Hit the lamp with the Hammer to contribute materials from your inventory.
- Keep going until the lamp is repaired. If you run out of one material, check what remains and have another player bring it.
You can split the work across players or towers. If a teammate reaches a different Lighthouse first, they can contribute there while you’re still on the way. Once either group completes the repair, all the lighthouses are repaired.
If you’re planning to sail as soon as it opens, leave one person with the boat and have another take the Hammer and materials up the tower. The boat crew can pull up the map as soon as the lamp comes on and tell the repair crew which direction they’ll be heading.
How To Tell When The Deep Sea Opens
Finishing the first repair opens the Deep Sea immediately. Listen for the opening sound and look for the Deep Sea entrance on the map. Mark the route from your boat’s position while you’re still near shore. The entrance can appear on a different side of the mainland when the next window opens, so check the map again before each trip.
Once the first opening ends, the Deep Sea follows its normal cycle. If you arrive at a lit Lighthouse and the entrance is closed, the server may be between openings. Give the map another look when you hear the next opening sound.
Which Boat Can Enter The Deep Sea
The Deep Sea is now only accessible using player-built boats. Facepunch removed RHIB access in the Rust March update, so keep in mind that you cannot drive a RHIB into the Deep Sea area. Attempting to do so restricts entry.
Check your fuel before leaving if your boat uses an engine. Follow the map marker to the entrance at the edge of the mainland map and steer through the marked crossing. Keep an eye on the water as you approach. The November update also added roaming scientist boats along the mainland coast, so the trip out can get busy before you reach the portal.
What To Do On Your First Deep Sea Run
Pick one stop and leave time for the ride back. A tropical island gives you a place to look for loot and, if needed, use a Boat Building Station for repairs. A Ghost Ship is a bigger commitment. Scientists guard it, patrol boats can be nearby, and some ships have a locked crate that takes time to open.
Check the time remaining before you board. If your crew is still learning the route, agree on a turn-back time while everyone’s on the boat. That gives you time to regroup and return through the portal before the window closes.
Keep the boat ready to leave while the crew boards. If you’re running an engine, set aside enough fuel for the return leg before you start looking for another wreck.
Why The Deep Sea Still Won’t Open
If the lamp still looks damaged, check that you’re striking the lamp itself and carrying the materials still needed. If the lamp is repaired, check the event window and the current entrance location before you make another trip. An open entrance and a boat that the server allows through are separate checks.
If you manage your server, confirm that the Deep Sea is enabled and check its timing and vehicle rules. Check Rust server settings to confirm the relevant settings and the status command.
Plan Your Next Sea Trip With Pine Hosting
Get your crew together before the next opening. Give one person the repair materials, have someone else get the boat ready, and pick a first stop once you’ve seen the entrance on the map.
Using dedicated Rust server host, like Pine Hosting you can set up a server for your group and decide how you want the Deep Sea cycle to run. Start exploring and enjoying on your ship.
