If you begin a new campaign as the English, you start out on turn 1 with a sea trade rout from Caen to Portugal, and from Caen to Denmark. You dont start with trade rights so apparently they are not needed for sea trade. What wierds me out is that these trade routs (and other trade routs) will vanish without reason. Ive sailed the waters from port to port looking for pirates. The ports are not blockaded. No war was declared. Whats the deal?