Valda

Valda is a water Sim located within North Coast Forts, Sansara. It is entirely Protected Land and is on the main route between Heterocera and Bay City. The sim is home to a sea-powered plant designed to test ways to harvest electricity out from the sea. The sea power plant was built by Garden Mole.

## Access

Sailors, on their way along this waterway, might have seen a few yellow towers rising up from the sea. This is about all that can be seen from the surface: 3 yellow metal towers plus one connected to two floaters. Much of what is here lies below surface.

The area has no access restrictions. Divers can explore from outside, while those who don't want to get wet can reach one of the towers and go beneath into the rooms located there.

The SLGI Trains, on the route to Bay City, frequently come here. The Yava Script Pods also have regular service here on the route to Bay City.

## Main building

The best way to explore it is through the shortest and widest of all towers. There is a stair from the top that will take you to the bottom of the sea, where all is explained on boards on display. There are diaphragm doors along the way, which open when someone gets close enough. We are warned about explosive atmosphere. The warning is only symbolic, if an avatar enters while smoking, nothing will happen. After passing through the double diaphragm door, one can see boards explaining what is going one:

1. Tidal turbine. **Experiment 1.** *This system acts as a tidal turbine with large rotors that can be raised for service or immersed as needed.* Power per unit: 1200 kWh, 1200 homes.
2. The double floater: **Experiment 2.** *This system acts as a wave treader, the components moving vertically against the constant swell. Power is generated hydraulically by relative motion of three parts.* Power per unit: 500 kWh, 500 homes.
3. Sea turbines. **Experiment 3.** *This system acts as an array of turbine units spread over the seabed to provide an aggregate output. Surface visibility is nil, making coastal siting less sensitive.* Power per unit: 250 kWh, 250 homes x3 units.
4. Wave rider. **Experiment 4.** *This system rides oncoming waves, using water throughout to drive the tail mounted turbine unit. Completely beneath the waves, the total visual impact is minimal.* Power per unit: 1000 kWh, 1000 homes.

Beyond the info panels, there is a glowing power line that goes through the station. If you go sidewais along the line, you can find stairs that allow you to cross over it. There are large windows that allow a clear view of the sea floor. Cables can be seen outside, glowing, stretching for some distance.

## Around the main building

The following structures are connected through power lines to the Northern end of the main building:

**Experiment 1.** The tidal turbine is at the next tower. It has two turbines placed beneath water surface. There is a small room on top of the tower that has a large wheel that can be touched, turning the turbines off for a while. On the sea floor, it is connected to the network of power lines.

**Experiment 2.** The double floater can be easily seen as it is the closest structure to the tower of the main building. It consists of a central tower fixed with a cable to the ground and two floaters placed sideways.

**Experiment 4.** The wave rider rises only one antenna above the water, the main part is beneath the surface and looks like a windsock. It is fixed on the ground and connected to the power lines.

The following structures are connected through power lines to the Southern end of the main building:

**Experiment 3.** There are three identical sea turbines, placed at some distance one from another. They are located on the sea floor and are not visisble from surface. The three power lines, coming from them, merge before reaching the main building.

## Other

apart from the power producing devices, land elevation varies from 0 to 8. Ground texture resembles sand but also with a bit of coral, a sign that Heterocera is not far. Sea vegetation is present and does not seem influenced by human activities.

## See Also

* Second Life Geography
* Parks And Recreation Areas
* Sansara