Sansara Waterways Network

Sansara has a very complex waterway network, with continental seas (many of which are listed as subcontinents), rivers, canals, waterfalls, dams and many surprises.

Unlike most other continents, Sansara does not have large coastal waterways. It is impossible to circumnavigate the continent. Also, since Sansara was built step by step and not after a general plan, in parts, waterways are interrupted or very narrow. Some waterways pass through dangerous sim borders or are very narrow.

Divers can find many wrecked ships submerged in the waters of Sansara.

The ANWR Channel, one of the Transcontinental Channels, link Sansara with Heterocera. However, navigation is possible mostly West towards Bay City. There are narrow waterways linking the ANWR with central Sansara, but they are not suitable for large ships.

## Waterways By Subcontinent

**Bay City** has an extensive network of canals. Shores are, in most cases, lined with concrete slabs. Canals are 4 m deep and large enough for most boats. Bridges are in many cases low, but can be raised up if needed. Canals reach the Gulf Of Lauren in North, which is a large waterway, suitable even for the largest ships. In South, the canals reach the Void Ocean. There are many docks in the area. Two large canals cross Bay City, both hosting large, mysterious islands. A peninsula, used by Bay City Railway, limits access for large ships to West.

The Gulf Of Lauren is a waterway that allows access to Bay City in South. The *Straits Of Shemerville* continue it to East.

**North Coast Forts** is a Subcontinent formed by a narrow strip of sims. Land is submerged. There are a few forts built on tiny islands, most of them with rezz zones. It is the only classical coastal waterway in Sansara. It provides water access to Bay City and to Color Sims. The forts lie along an important waterway connection, which links Heterocera via the ANWR with Bay City.

**Sansara Void** is not a place for sailing. Two private-owned sims, Cayman and Edge, are located there, surrounded by Void Ocean. Residents proposed over time that the void should be replaced with water sims, but after more then ten years nothing happened.

**Color Sims** is one of the oldest places on the grid. The subcontinent contains one large channel through Violet and Fuchsia, which allows a connection between Gulf Of Lauren and North Coast Forts. Narrow waterways cross the East end of the subcontinent, allowing navigation between the ANWR and Central Sansara. For a long time (and still possible as for 2020), larger ships can cross through the private-owned sim Maroon, connecting Central Sansara with the ANWR. For the Color Sims, the main waterway is the one provided by the North Coast Forts.

The Color Sims have some other narrow waterways, for example the tiny rivers in Celadon. Other waterways, very narrow and unconnected to the continental water network, exist in Chartreuse, Green or Mocha. Larger waterways are in the South-East, like in Slate or Teal. They provide connections with the waterways of Central Sansara. Additional private-owned waterways exist, especially in North, where they communicate with the North Coast.

**Sansara Sandboxes** is located in the way between Bay City and Central Sansara. It provides a good navigation route between Bay City and Central Sansara. For most of the way, the passage is large enough for any ship. Sandboxes are surrounded by high ridges, which makes the landscape spectacular.

There is a waterway that enters the sandboxes from the South. Other gulfs advance significantly in South. Another waterway stretches very close to Da Boom, the oldest sim on the grid. These waterways are continued by narrower canals to East, which limit navigation to East, to Bay Of Space Pigs.

**The Old World** is the oldest part of Sansara. It was built with plenty of waterways. Its shape changed dramatically over time. The Old World does not have significant Protected Land opened for navigation, however, there are private-owned waterways. Most sailors use to navigate through South, along the Bay Of Space Pigs, while some prefer to admire The Old World from North, from the L - Shaped Lake.

**Bay Of Space Pigs** is one of the first continental seas built. It is a Subcontinent. It lies along the main waterway connecting Bay City with Central Sansara. There are a few islands, including one that hosts a pig-shaped spaceship that crashed. Rivers provide further navigation in South. To North, navigation is limited along some private-owned waterways inside The Old World.

The Eastern sims of the bay are placed strategic. They are connected with many channels, that provide access to North (L - Shaped Lake), to South (Snowlands Subcontinent) and to East, towards Sea Of Fables and Mare Secundus.

**L - Shaped Lake** is another internal sea. The name was designed to last *until someone suggests a better one*, but after more then 10 years nobody suggested anything. The lake provides an access way towards the oldest parts of Sansara. Many straits and channels provide further access North, reaching in the end the ANWR Channel and Heterocera. To South, there are only a few private-owned waterways. The lake is connected to Bay Of Space Pigs in South-East.

**West Volcano Subcontinent** consists of two islands, known as *West Volcano Islands*. They are surrounded by large waterways and can be easily circumnavigated. The waterways form borders to other subcontinents. Despite having large waterways, not many sailors adventure there.

**East Volcano Subcontinent** consists of a marge, massive island. The island can be circumnavigated through narrow waterways, which are more difficult to follow in North. Characteristic for the East Volcano is the presence of rivers, that advance far inside the subcontinent. There are waterfalls along the rivers, which in part block navigation. One river does not reach the sea, but it can be sailed for short distances, as it is protected land.

**Kami** acts as a barrier, partially obstructing navigation between East and West Sansara. The subcontinent consists of many long islands. The Kami archipelago can be circumnavigated. The waterways offer a good access route from North-East to South-West, but are not a good option for passing from East to West. Kami has two flooded sims in North.

**Nuba** is a Subcontinent located in North. Nuba cannot be circumnavigated entirely. Its coastal waterways are interrupted in North. There are many rivers that flow from Tupi sim, which is the highest point. Rivers of Nuba have no waterfalls and can be entirely sailed. However, in some parts, water is shallow and can pose a thread to boats. There are many islands separated by shallow channels. Waterways of Nuba are made for small boats and not for large ships. Three submerged sims are located in the center-South of the subcontinent.

Since Nuba has no roads or railways, its waterways are the only way to move around. Nuba is not visited by many sailors, as its position is rather isolated. It is a good place for those sailors who enjoy the quietness of nature.

**Mare Secundus** is a Subcontinent and one of the main waterways of Sansara. It is an internal, continental sea, which barely touches the Void Ocean in North-East. This large sea is full of islands, some of them having the shape of a big **2**. The sea is entirely opened for big and small ships. It provides a good East-West access way. From here, many straits pass through Kami and Nuba towards West and North. A large strait gives access to Sea Of Fables in South, which is another inland sea.

Mare Secundus has many attractions for sailors and divers. There are islands and submerged surprises (wrecked ships and sea vegetation).

**Sea Of Fables** is located in East. It has a more rounded shape then any other seas in Sansara. There are large islands and vast areas of sailing water. Divers can find plenty of surprises here too. Explorers can find many interesting things to see on the islands.

The Sea Of Fables is the central piece of a network of navigable rivers that stretch in all directions. Most rivers, leading East, are not connected to other waterways. It is possible to sail West and reach Bay Of Space Pigs, but the journey, through twisted channels in Kami, is not easy. To South, access is easy to the Ice Bay, part of Snowlands Subcontinent. Also, two rivers, blocked by dams, give access to Sansara Highlands and the Sutherland Abyss.

**Coast Town Sims** are located South of Bay Of Space Pigs, which provides the most important waterway in the region. There is a narrow coastal waterway in South, which is in part impracticable, as scripts are restricted in some areas. Branches of Snowlands River flow through the area and provide additional waterways, bypassing the restricted South coast.

**Moons Subcontinent** is located South from Coast Town Sims. The subcontinent is dominated by high mountains and tundra extending from the Snowlands. The main waterway is Snowlands River, which flows from the Snowlands (South) towards North-East. A branch, Ross River, flows towards East. There is a huge dam in Ganymede sim. A big waterfall exists on Ross River. In addition, a coastal waterway exists in West.

**Snowlands Subcontinent** is permanently covered with ice. To North-East, it hosts the *Ice Bay*, which is suitable for sailing, hosting a few icebergs. To West, a narrow coastal waterway can be reached, it leads to Chamonix. These are the only two navigable waterways in Snowlands that are directly connected to Sansara water network.

Snowlands River is the main waterway in the subcontinent. It drains its water from Sugarloaf Abyss, in Sansara Highlands. It has a small tributary, then it is blocked by a thick layer of ice in Zermatt and Wengen. Sailors that dare to go further, pushing their boats over the ice, will soon find waterfalls. The river splits into many branches, some of them passing through spectacular gorges.

A tiny endorheic lake exists in South-East, followed by Canyon Road.

**Sansara Highlands** has access to North to the Sea Of Fables. Two rivers flow from the subcontinent into the sea, both blocked, by Sugarloaf Dam and Sutherland Dam. The two dams hold behind a large network of three abysses (Sugarloaf Abyss, Sutherland Abyss and Central Abyss), connected by two rivers. The Bear River, connecting Central and Sutherland abysses, is very deep. From a diver's point of view, it looks like a submerged canyon.

The abysses are very deep, as a diver can find out. They are the best place for submarines. Sailing is limited to the abysses, as it is highly difficult to pass over the dams. One can follow the Snowlands River, which flows from Sugarloaf Abyss to West into the Snowlands.

**Warmouth Subcontinent** has access to both Sutherland Abyss and Sea Of Fables. It also hosts the Lost River, an unconnected navigable waterway, which flows towards the East Coast and is almost unknown by sailors. Its banks provide an excellent place for those who enjoy the quietness of nature.

**Lost Lakes Subcontinent** are located between Sea Of Fables and Mare Secundus. The landmass is crossed by a large river, which has a few branches and provides a connection between the two seas.

**Hidden Lakes Subcontinent** is located in Sansara's East and is connected to Mare Secundus. A few rivers flow into the sea and provide further navigation upstream. These rivers are large enough for big ships to pass through and are frequently used for sailing.

**Linden Village** has water connection in South. In North, waterways are not opened for public.

**East Coast Cities**, unlike its name, is a subcontinent that almost lacks waterways. There are a few water sims in North. An isolated water sim also exists in North, not far from the end of a navigable river that connects it with Mare Secundus. The Lost River ends-up here with a large delta, that is not navigable.

**Elements Mountains** are located in South. They have access to a coastal waterway that leads to Bellisseria. Unfortunately, they lack any rezz zone. The waterway is not connected to the rest of Sansara by water, road or rail. Airplanes coming from Bellisseria need to fly over private-owned land in order to reach inland protected waterways.

**North Islanders** have three water sims in West. These sims are the Easternmost point that can be reached by boat sailing from Central Sansara. North Islanders - Bay City is the longest sailing route available in Sansara.

**South Islanders** have four sims of water. These sims are not connected to any waterway. Residents owning land on the shores can sail for short distances, but cannot go further into the continent.

## Transport

Sansara has an extensive and complex network of waterways. However, water traffic appears to be more intense in North-East then in other parts.

The main continental transport network is East - West, through North Islanders, Mare Secundus, Kami, Bay Of Space Pigs, Sansara Sandboxes, Gulf Of Lauren, Bay City. Second in importance is the route along Bay City - Gulf Of Lauren - North Coast Forts - ANWR Channel - Heterocera.

The waterways of Sansara have the most intensive automated transport service from all continents. The YavaScript Pods travel on a daily basis along most waters, while the SLGI Trains use them to fly and connect the railways of Sansara with Heterocera. Additional transportation exists along East River.

Large areas in North are connected to the rest of the continent only by water. Also, in South, one can find the largest network of waterways separated by dams and waterfalls on the grid.

## See Also

* Second Life Geography
* List Of Waterways
* Sansara