Heterocera Outer Waters
NOTE: THIS ARTICLE IS UNFINISHED. ESTIMATED FINISH DATE: SEPTEMBER 1ST 2014
By far Heterocera has some of the most beautiful coasts, with breathtaking landscapes. Roads follow all coastline not far from the shores, while in some parts railways stretch and end into modern docks. Ground has a specific coral texture and vegetation is always present. With a single exception, land is accessible for sailing and there are many connections between ground transportation routes and external waterways.
And this is not all. Heterocera has its own river system. It is made of short mountain streams, with dams or waterfalls, sometimes continued with dry valleys. Some of these streams receive water from inner lakes, while other lakes are unconnected and endorheic (their water doesn't flow anywhere).
For the inner water system, including the inner atoll and the delta, see Heterocera Inner Waters.
Overall
The coast is not the same for its entire length. North coasts show a much higher declivity, while in South, they are more smooth. In North, you have the feeling that you are seeing some mountains. This is more visible in North-West, where are the most interesting landscapes. The East and West coasts have their own beauty.
A few islands might be seen along the coast. Some of them are larger, but the majority are smaller. Since ground is high and water is deep, terraforming has not removed much of the beauty of the land. Another feature is that islands are connected to continent by bridges.
Waterways are not the same at all. In some places, they are larger and might include entire flooded sims, while in other parts they are limited to a sharp slice of land. Following the navigation route is always a tricky job, but still is more easy then in other continents. Small coral deltas can still be found in some places.
Roads are closer to shores in North and North-West, while in East, there are many railway terminals close to water. On no other continent can be seen so much access to coastline. For example in Jeogeot there is no road that reaches the external coast of the continent.
Unlike the shores of other continents, Heterocera is not a Tropical Beach Paradise. Yes, in some places you will see palm trees and beaches, but also in other places temperate vegetation can be seen, mainly along the roads in North.
One of the best way to visit Heterocera is by using Yava Script Pods. There are two pod routes that follow the coastline and others that reach close to the shores. Second Life Transport authority has its own cars roaming along the coast roads and sometimes even inside water. Also, some of these pods erach water surface and sail for small distances. SLGI Trains also reach the coast. One of them, SLGI Train WARRyucca, flies above water and for a part of its route under the water.
The following material is made like a tourist guide and it is an invitation for people who like to travel.
Tourism
- Tourist route 1: along the coast roads, clockwise
- Tourist route 2: along the coast waterways, clockwise
- Tourist route 3: reach the coast by train
Along the coast roads, clockwise
This is probably the best way to visit the coastline. It will take up to a few hours. A car or a horse is recommended, If not, there are many Yava script pods along this way and also occasional SLTA cars that can be really useful. We will start our journey in Calleta, the sim that is placed strategic on map, with many roads, railways and waterways. This is the entry point to GSLR, the oldest railway, to Mountains Of Heterocera, to Heterocera Inner Waters and to outer coast. This is also the heart of Calleta City. Railway station is so damaged that trains stop at a pawn shop. Also, there is a bus station where you can find all transportation you need.
From here, we go to West, along the paved road 1. First steps will take us through Oculea, a sim part of Calleta City. To left, we will see industrial corporations and to right some uninhabited hills. The area suffered a lot after the death of West Atoll Railroad. Then, we enter suburbs and finally some parts that look rural. Water is nowhere to be seen until you reach Zephyr sim, the place where we walk on a bridge over a river (see below). To South, we can see the river flowing into the sea. From here, in some places we see more buildings and vegetation and in others, more abandoned or unused land. To left, from place to place, the sea is visible, while to right, we see the hills. Climbing them will take us deeper to the mountains. In Dierli sim, a road takes us closer to the shores. If we take it, we can reach the water. Landscape is not great, but it gives a good idea about coastal plains in South.
We return to the main road and follow it through the abandoned sim Bombyx. Nearly all sims is here have moth names. For example, Bomyx mori is the silkworm. And then, after passing a few more places not populated, we reach Andraca sim and another bridge. Here was also a station of West Atoll Railroad. A SLGI train comes by flying and stops here at every 6 hours, close to where the station was. Then, in Cristat, after we pass a few interesting buildings, we reach another road that goes South. If connects a large island with the mainland. And after 300 meters, we are close to the shores. This is the first place where water is so near. This is not for long, soon the road goes straight through a peninsula and a smaller road allows contact with water.
Next, we enter Bouraq sim, an urban sim with tall buildings. From here, water is nearby. We reach an intersection. Now we enter on the West atoll coast. Palm trees and temperate vegetation, many homes in alternance with beach buildings, urban constructions and vegetation, this is what a traveler will see. The road is paved and plants have grown on it, as a sign that it is not too used. Seen on the map, this road follows the coasts or each peninsula and gulf, turning left and right over and over. There is one important thing, in Galli sim, main road turns right. If we go forward, we will reach a dead end. And soon, we will reach Elpenor sim, where the old West Atoll Railroad had its terminal station. Its land has become Linden right of way and many people hoped of a new railway, buy nothing happened.
In Alcis sim, we reach the third river. Until here, we moved very close to the shores. From here, water is at some distance, but not too far. Landscape becomes more and more interesting. Then, in Emmelia, we reach the 4th river, the largest until now. From the bridge, water is good for sailing all the way to the ocean. It is a good place to relax and take a picture. After we passed the bridge, we go left (West), on road 2.
From Emmelia, first we walk on a plain. In Togata sim, we find the 5th river. And then, at the border between Togata and Tiger, a tunnel appears from nowhere. There are not many tunnels on mainland. Except for the underwater tunnel in Jeogeot, the rest are in Heterocera too, in Mountains Of Heterocera.
Once we exit the tunnel, all is different. The coast plain has vanished and has been replaced by a much higher shore. The road is always close to water and stretches along the shore. In some places, it is much sharper and made of wood. Vegetation is found to be more often. Trees, planted along the road, vary in shape and color. We cannot see too much to right, but to left, we can see a multitude of docks and ships along the coast. We have entered one of the most beautiful parts of the coast. For a while there is no road to right, but we can climb in some places to take a better view. Also, almost every sim has its own rezz zone. Then, in Girdler sim, road becomes a bit wider and is paved with colored stones. This is where those breathtaking landscapes start. Echo sim is a place where we have a dock and can rezz a boat.
What exactly makes this place so different? Maybe the answer is color alternance. We can see palm trees and then, like from nowhere, a tree preparing itself for autumn, with red leaves. There are many trees planted along the road and other that can be seen inside parcels, together with bushes. The fact that road itself is paved with colored stones also adds something to the landscape. But the most important part is that here we have at the same time mountain and sea, together. This is something rare, unseen in many other places. And even more rare is the presence of a road along the shore. There are entire continents where this is not seen. For example, roads in Satori are at a high distance and they don't reach the shores in any point. Then, in Sedge, we finally see a road turning to right. It is a good idea to climb along it, to see how high the shores are. We will reach altitudes close to 80 meters.
We enter Oakworm sim. This is the border between West and North coast. And soon, we enter Consular, where road is again paved with wood for a while (in fact, it is a long bridge). This is the best of the best. A good idea is to stop here and watch the cliffs and the sea. And if you want more, stop here and wait for sunrise or sunset. You can see them both. Here, in Consular, at some point, if we are lucky, we can see to right how altitude slowly grows and how high the shores really are.
The same landscapes can be seen along the coast, until we reach Pandorus. Here, a small plain separates us from the coast. And not far, in Hydrangea, at the end of a gulf, a road climbs hard to get to continent plateaus and to Yucca railway station.
Road continues along the coast, again paved with wood. Soon, we reach an intersection, where pavement is replaced with asphalt. Then, another road cross is in front of us. Landscape changes again and we enter a plain. We follow the main road, with trees on its center. This is Ranunculus sim, with a road mall. To our right we might see a tunnel, one of the few existing. It is private and opened to anyone. The other tunnels found on Heterocera are: mountain tunnel (on mountain road 6), the tiny railway tunnel at Epirrhoe, Tiger - Togata (we have seen it) and the tunnel on Achemon Railway.
After Ranunculus, the road separates oceanic plain from the hills. The sea is no longer visible, but we can see a lot of vegetation, creating some sort of green tunnel along the road. Then again, inside Buff sim, we find the ocean near us. A bridge passes over a dry valley. Then again we enter a forest and then again we see the ocean while passing a bridge over a dried valley. Rivers on North shore are dry. We are in a plain.
Stout is a place where we turn right. The road forward ends soon at a lighthouse. It worths exploring, anyway. From here, we can see ground texture changing and in some places old coral rock is exposed. In Sallow, a small road goes North to the coast. And then, we enter spectacle sim, with its railway terminal. Again, a road continues to left, to the shore. And once more, when we reach Satellite sim, the main road looks like going forward, but in fact it ends near the shore. We need to turn right, at a large market. All these roads are paved with colored stones. And so, we finally reach Spangle railway terminal. This is the place where we enter East coast.
From here, a car is useless. We need a train. Trains can be seen from time to time along these railways or you can rezz your own train. Or, you can drive a car on the tracks. Just follow the tracks. In Shipton, the railway is so close to the water, that it offers a rare view. Follow the railway to Melanthia station. There, behind the station, road 5 begins. We will follow it. This is a paved road, with colored stones. Landscape is that of a plain and vegetation is more rare. Buildings are a bit more rare then in other places. In Scotopteryx sim, a hardly visible road continues to left to the coast. Then, vegetation is seen more often. Land is something between a plain and a hill. Almost all the way water is not visible because of vegetation and buildings.
In Gibbosa sim, we see the first river from East coast. And then again, in Bedstraw, the second. And then, in Cisthene, we reach a railway. This is Maritime Railway and we will talk about it later. And then, in Cycnia, we pass the greatest bridge on coast road, over a third river. And once more, in Grahica sim, we cross the 5th river. This one has a very deep and dangerous valley. All the way, this road keeps some distance from the shore.
Finally, we reach the railway grade crossing in Mocis. If we keep following the road, we will get to Heterocera Inner Waters. To left, Bhaga and Zale stations await us. To right, we can reach Crumbi. This is the end of our long trip.