Waterways
NOTE: THIS ARTICLE IS BEING EDITED. ESTIMATED FINISH TIME: AUGUST 10TH 2014.
Waterways are some of the most important transportation ways. They are found on majority of Continents, on Microcontinents and on many Sims. Also Transcontinental Channels are always covered with water (except for a few islands]]. There are 3 ways a waterway is used for transportation: by Sailing, by Air or by ground movement (walking, riding or driving). It is also important if there is Automated Transportation present or not along waterways.
At this article, waterways are listed for all continents. For microcontinents and unconnected sims, see List Of Microcontinents And Sim Clusters.
Blake Sea
Blake Sea, probably the best destination for sailors and a large Tropical Beach Paradise, is the only private-owned continent connected to a mainland one. Sailing is possible all across the continent. Land is formed of a high number of tropical islands, separated by large channels of water. Also, in the center, there are many submerged sims. A lot of rezz zones exist. In Second Norway, water network is doubled by road - Private Continents Network and rail - Second Norway Railway.
The largest amount of water allows object entry, but the transcontinental channel that links it to Nautilus, doesn't. So, no unmanned boat can pass. Automated Transportation is absent.
Caledon - Winterfel
Caledon - Winterfel is the merging of two micronations (or states). Caledon has roads and a railway, while Winterfel has only limited roads. Waterways are very important for both states, but far more important for Winterfel. Both have large docks and even their own fleet.
Waterways are larger in Winterfel, while in Caledon you can find tight rivers, with access only for small boats.
There are no access restrictions, everybody can make a boat and use it. Also, many docks have rezz zones. Automated transportation does not exist, but occasional boats can be seen from time to time. It is recommended for sailors to have themed boats: steam-powered for Caledon and medieval for Winterfel.
Corsica
Corsica is a very long continent, composed many large and small islands. While the islands in East are linked together by a road system - Corsica Network, in West only a single island has a notable road system.
Waterways are important for this continent. And as seen on the map, they connect remote places. There is a continental network of protected water. Unfortunately, in many places slices of protected land are very thin, so it is a high risk that a boat might enter unwanted parcels.
It is easy to go by water to Gaeta 5 or to Nautilus with help of Transcontinental Channels. And also, it is possible to take a tour of the continent, since waterways form a large ring. Object access is limited in some places (and scripts are also restricted in Linden Memorial), but still Yava Script Pods travel long distances over water.
Eden
Eden is the largest private continent created as a large Tropical Beach Paradise. It is made of a lot of islands separated by waterways. Sometimes, space between islands is very large and sometimes there can be found submerged sims. The landscape is completed with surfable waves.
Estate Continent
Estate Continent is only in part a tropical beach paradise. Its waterways are fragmented. If we look at all map, we see that where road network does not reach, waterways stretch and give access to many parcels. In West, there are navigation channels like in Bay City. Another feature of this continent is that waterways are used to separate parcels. In North West there are a few sims highly divided by small waterways.
Europe Continent
Europe Continent is a medieval roleplay world. It has no (or almost no) roads. Access is possible by walking on ground or by sailing. It is recommended that sailors use themed ships. A large continental network of channels are available for travelers and even for water battles. More even, small rivers are opened for little boats.
Fairchang
Fairchang is a tiny continent in South, a tropical beach paradise. It has many waterways, but not all of them are navigable. In many places water is not deep or channels are not large enough. Also, sailing looks like restricted for local residents.
Gaeta 1
Gaeta 1 has large surfaces of water in East and North. It is the continent with highest number of submerged sims compared with sims that have both water and ground. Its seas are quiet and sailors will find themselves undisturbed. There are no access restrictions. Parcels that are not protected land are clearly visible and usually are separated by a sim border. A tiny and unknown island can be seen in far North East. Along coast, there are many private docks and some rezz zones (that also communicate with the tiny and limited road system).
One of the best way to take contact with Gaeta 1 is using one of the two Yava Script Pods that offer tours on water and on land.
Gaeta 5
Gaeta 5 is the only finished continent of the proposed 5 Gaetas. Its road network is undeveloped, with many holes and cracks and with many missing parts. Water is so the most important transportation way. Coasts are highly populated, while inner land is almost entirely abandoned. Gaeta 5 water network is made of a large continental border ring and small flooded sectors that complete the road system. The presence of a transcontinental channel allows a connection to Corsica.
Waterways vary from entire submerged sims to sharp slices of land. In North East, there is something unique: an underwater tunnel below a sailing route.
Heterocera
Heterocera has two main waterways: external (coastal waterways) and internal (Heterocera Inner Waters including the delta). And also, through the ANWR channel, it has contact with Sansara. The external system is composed of many types of land, from flooded sims to tiny slices of land (but still larger then in other continents). There is one problem on the West coast, where land stretches to Void Ocean and brakes the waterway in two. The inner water system is made of a high number of channels (forming the delta) and flooded sims (called voids). Ground has coral texture. Water is usually not deep, so that a transatlantic cannot enter. Unlike all other continents, in Heterocera waterways are not looking to major Geographic points, but tilted and not in a straight line. Lake Caldera (Zaygena) in center of the inner atoll is unconnected with the ocean, but still used for sailing.
IGBC Continent
IGBC Continent is the gay place. Its name actually means International Gay Beach club. Because we could find no gay to survey this place for sailing routes, they are made after map. Anyway, no ban lines or entity orbs were detected during atmospheric surveys, so it is most probably that there is no obstacle for gay sailors. There are many flooded sims and large waterways.
Jeogeot
Jeogeot is a continent with large surfaces of ground, but also with a large inner gulf for sailors. Continental waterways are heavily fragmented by private parcels. This continent has its waterways so fragmented, that the most important transportation way must be the road network. The gulf looks like a good destination, with a high number of islands and many surprises, including Ichelus Volcano and Zebrasil Infohub. In West, there is a river that communicates with many coast parcels, but is unconnected by protected land to the gulf. Still, boats can move on parcels of abandoned land (not showed on maps, because their status might change).
Mar Lesbiana
Mar Lesbiana is a tropical beach paradise created for lesbians. As the name says, largest surface is covered with water. There are many islands. It can be considered a large sea for sailing. Still, two important restrictions must be noted: First, no male avatars are allowed. And second, no scripts are allowed, except for group members. Since we found no lesbian to investigate this place, sailing routes are made mainly after map images.
Nautilus
Nautilus is the big surprise of all continents. From a stratecgic point of view, Nautilus is placed in contact with 3 continents through 3 Transcontinental Channels (something unique on the grid). Despite having a name related with water, having parts that raised from the floor - Nautilus City and a lot of sims with water access or completely flooded, it looks like it is not a good place for sailing. This is because waterways are highly divided by private-owned parcels. There are large bodies of water, good for sailing, but unconnected to the ocean by protected land. Many sailors risked their life fighting with the elements (ban lines and entity orbs), trying to find a sailing route from Corsica to Blake Sea, but the vast majority have failed. It is possible only by sailing on risk, over various owners' lands and it means a high dose of risk. If someone finds a pass for a moment, it is possible that after a few days residents will change land status and the route will no longer be accessible for other sailors. On the map are listed only protected land routes and parcels where it is specified in land description for sailors. Residents from Second Life Geography team made several attempts to get from Satori to Corsica, on land or on water, but failed each time. So, we came to the conclusion that it is almost impossible to get across Nautilus without a single teleport. Land With Restricted Access is found with a much higher frequency then on any other continent. Things are far worse for Automated Transportation. Even on protected land, there are so many parcels that don't allow objects entry, that Yava Script Pods operate only on two routes on this continent and with high difficulties (including a lot of teleportings). Many residents whished to make a boat or an airplane to move after a schedule from Gaeta 5 to Blake Sea, but failed because of land restrictions.