Ahoy there! It’s 2026, and somehow I still find myself drawn back to the choppy waters of Sea of Thieves every few weeks. The game has evolved massively over the years—new Tall Tales, expanded maps, even that long-rumored icy region—but some things remain comfortingly unchanged. The Snake Island riddle is one of them. A few nights ago, a fresh swabbie on my crew was absolutely stumped by it, so I decided to put together everything I’ve learned since the early days. Whether you’re a day-one pirate or just picking up the game now on your holographic display, this classic puzzle still pays out nicely if you know where to look.

First, a bit of context for those new to the seas. Riddles in Sea of Thieves are procedural but pull from a fixed pool of lines, and the Snake Island variant has been tripping up pirates since before seasons were even a thing. The parchment typically reads something like: "On Snake Island brave and old, the gold hides beneath the sunstone’s hold, then 6 paces North, a story untold." It’s deceptively simple. I’ve seen crews spend twenty minutes digging up the wrong beach because they didn’t pay attention to the largest isle clue.

The island itself sits snugly in quadrant N-19 on your ship’s map table. Yes, in 2026 most navigators just pin the coordinate on their second-screen app, but I still love the feel of charting by eye. Snake Island is that distinctive crescent-shaped landmass wedged between Chicken Island and Crook’s Hollow, just a short sail north of Plunder Outpost. If you’re coming from the newly added Port Merrick, angle your sloop northwest and you’ll spot the serpentine profile on the horizon before long.

Now, let’s talk about the first real clue: the sunstone. The riddle specifies a “Sunstone on a South West beach,” and it adds that this is found on “the largest isle.” Snake Island isn’t a single blob; it’s a collection of rocky outcrops and sandy spits. The central mass is unmistakably the biggest. Circle that central island until you hit the southwest-facing shoreline. You’re looking for a large, flat rock resting just above the tide line. What makes it special is the faded red sun symbol carved into its surface. Over the years, Rare has tweaked the texture slightly—current-gen graphics in 2026 make that sun almost glow at dawn—but it’s still the same old sunstone. Park your ship there. I always drop anchor a few meters out to avoid scraping the hull on those sneaky shallows.

From this point, the final step is almost laughably easy—once you know it. Stand directly in front of the sunstone, face the open sea (roughly North, because that’s where the island’s interior waits), and start counting your paces. Walk exactly six steps forward. I usually sheathe my cutlass and take deliberate, full strides; the game’s pace detection can be finicky if you’re sprinting. At the sixth step, equip your shovel and dig. If you’ve lined everything up correctly, a chest will burst from the sand with that satisfying thunk. The loot table here hasn’t changed drastically over the years. In 2026, you might pull up an Ashen Captain’s Chest, a Skeleton Captain’s Chest, or even the occasional Collector’s Chest brimming with gold and doubloons. Nothing world-shattering, but a tidy little reward for about ten minutes of work.

What I love about this riddle—and why I wanted to revisit it in 2026—is how it teaches new players the fundamentals of Sea of Thieves navigation without holding their hand. You have to read the map, identify landmarks, interpret directional language, and coordinate with your crew. Too many modern guides immediately drop a fast-travel route, but where’s the pirate spirit in that? Speaking of the map, a quick tip: if you’re struggling to locate Snake Island amid all the seasonal additions (did anyone else lose track of the Wilds after the volcanic archipelago was revamped?), set a custom marker on N-19 before you leave the outpost. It’ll save you from drifting into skeleton fleet territory.

Another thing—don’t sleep on the island’s PvE threats. Snakes. Yes, the island is named after them. Since the 2025 AI overhaul, island fauna are a bit more territorial. If you’re digging solo, you’ll want to clear the nearby snake spawns with a few flintlock shots or a well-timed sword lunge. One well-placed venom spit can send your newly unearthed treasure into the water, and nobody wants to fish a Chest of Sorrow out of the tide while being bit.

For those rushing through this riddle as part of an Athena’s Voyage or a Gold Hoarders emissary run, here’s a efficiency checklist I’ve honed:

• 📌 Set sail from Plunder Outpost (fastest spawn).

• 🧭 Aim for the central isle’s southwest side.

• 🪨 Find the sunstone with the red mark.

• 🚶‍♂️ Pace 6 steps directly inland from the rock.

• ⛏️ Dig once, and only once.

• ⚔️ Deal with any snakes before collecting loot.

• 🛶 Rowboat back if the shore is too rocky for your ship.

This little routine has stayed reliable through countless updates, and I don’t see it changing unless Rare decides to sink Snake Island entirely (unlikely, but after the Golden Sands transformation, who knows?).

One last piece of pirate wisdom: riddles aren’t just about the destination. They’re an excuse to soak in the atmosphere. Sea of Thieves in 2026 runs at a buttery 120 frames on most rigs, and the sunset lighting over Snake Island is a painter’s dream. Take a moment. Share a grog with your crew. Then, when you’ve pocketed your treasure, swing by the new Sea Fort just northwest of the island—it was added back in 2023 and makes a perfect pitstop to cash in and resupply.

So there you have it, me hearties. Next time you spot that old parchment with a snake sketch on it, don’t groan. Just remember: South West beach, sunstone, six paces. May your pockets be heavy and your hull free of holes.