Between land and sea: maritime communication

You’ve just passed the mast where small coloured flags are hoisted. Did you know that there’s a message hidden behind these pretty pieces of fabric? You can try to find the meaning of this message by participating in the L’énigme des Duhamel/ Duhamel Riddle Contest. For us, it's a game, but for the sailors on a boat, these signals are sometimes a matter of life and death. Over the years, maritime communication has changed a great deal. However, all contemporary ships still carry the complete international code of signal flags, even if such flags are used less than before. They also have a code book to use these flags or to decipher the code that another ship is transmitting. Knowing how to send the right message at the right time is essential for a sailor.