If you have to or feel you want to go thru the channel try hugging the coastline as close as you can. Be careful though that you dont get to close because if you try to speed up the time compression it will only stay at 1x speed. I usually hug the coastline going through Gibraltar also and have never had a problem. Remember though it is early in the war for ya but later on it does get harder. Hit the z key for silent running when unfriendlies are near! Dont give up on the game... it really is fun when you get the hang of it.
