Safe Waters Foundation Weekly Meeting

 

 

 For those interested in Second Life's underwater areas, and the people who have events there, you might want to check out the Safe Waters Foundation's weekly meetup, which is Saturdays at 10 AM SL time.

 

Mers Helping Mers Be Mers - Safe Waters Foundation weekly gathering, 10am SLT Saturday.  This is a discussion about all things mermaid, merman, and aquatic.  Lots of things going on - it's always a fun gathering, and all are welcome.  Please arrive a little early if you can, dress low lag and request the talking stick if you have something to share. 

 

The meetings are at: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Union%20Passage/60/236/1 

Safe Waters Foundation Weekly Saturday Meet

 

 

The Safe Waters Foundation has a weekly gathering at the Union Passage sim. It takes place every Saturday at 10 AM, and takes place in the sim's ocean floor.

 

 This is a discussion about all things mermaid, merman, and aquatic.  Lots of things going on - it's always a fun gathering, and all are welcome.  Please arrive a little early if you can, dress low lag and request the talking stick if you have something to share. 

 

While described as "Mers Helping Mers Be Mers", anyone is welcome to drop in except griefers and anyone else disruptive. While at the meeting for part of the time on Saturday July 22, I heard a few things mentioned from deals at stores to the SL Fandom Con (and reminded it was to benefit the Relay for Life), and Ŧємρєรτгα (Tempestra Varela) announced "I will be doing a class on mermaid lore and myth every other week, starting (Thursday) August 3 at 1pm and 6 pm here, will be a presentation and discussion so I hope you can come! We will start with early myths about Mermaids."

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Union%20Passage/60/236/1

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Shark's Bay Underwater Sim Closing This Friday

 

A well-done underwater sim will soon be closing. In the Safe Waters Foundation group, it was announced Shark's Bay would soon be shutting down. The sim belongs to Saer Genossee.

 The sim and the group for Sharks Bay will be closing on Friday, August 27th.

We know this happens a lot in SL but are so greatly saddened and send our condolences to Saer Genossee - she is an incredible builder and a huge contributor to SWF group and lands. Please go now if you want to see her work!

Dropping by the landmark provided at Sunshine Island (20/30/37), I appeared on a small island. There was a group joiner, and a free gift of a light ans a snorkel.  On the other side of the sim was a floating patio with a couple of lounge chairs made from shark jaws. But the real treat is underwater. There was an underwater gazebo, underwater kelp forests, an underwater lava flow of a small island building itself up and about to form, and numerous critters swimming about from whales, sea snakes, turtles, and of course sharks. 

The background music is relaxing, gentle tunes. If you're observant, you can hear whale calls as well. Be careful about approaching some of the fish. While panning around, a sea snake swam over and nipped me, and I had to leave the sim to get medical treatment. Later on, I would hear the "killers" had their instinct to bite turned off.

Once again, baring the owner getting enough money to keep it going longer, the sim will be closing down Friday August 27.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunshine%20Island/20/30/37

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Safe Waters Foundation Meeting

This weekend, I dropped by a meeting of the Safe Waters Foundation. This is a group promoting merfolk and other residents who prefer aquatic avatars, and their communities. They also promote underwater exploration and well-designed underwater areas, as well as real-life ocean conservation. They have a meeting every Saturday at 10AM to discuss matters. 

There were a number of mermaids and mermen there of various appearances, talking about various projects. One was the TCS, "its a craft/trade/rp system that allows you to trade goods with other mers or landers. You can harvest and create things." Something else that got my attention was one little tiny merkitty in a big hat almost as large as the avatar. 

Thankfully no dogfish to chase her around.

Union Passage (93/240/2)
 
Bixyl Shuftan
 

Fanci's Deep Mer Mall

   

For Second Life residents interested in the more aquitic side of virtual life, one place aimed at them is the Fanci's Deep Mer Mall.

"When we opened the sim, there were to be three parts, all mermaid based - because the sim was built in honor of Fanci," Grace (GraceSWF Wrigglesworth), the head of the Safe Waters Foundation explained, "The three areas were  Residential Area, Mer Mall and the Safe Waters Foundation headquarters - sort of a full service concept. Our residential lands are always sold out. When a parcel becomes available - it rents within days. Safe Waters Foundation manages the area for the owners, and has grown to be quite a good resource. We've expanded into what we call aquatics because divers like our areas - as well as all sorts of creatures."

While the mall is made to look like "an old ruin," the build is "modern, high tech, great for fun and exploring." There's a teleport system that can take people to other places in the vicinity such as the "the Chat Pavilion, Cuddle Area, Free Merfolk tail, (and the) entrance to the mermall and residential areas."

Of the shops in the mall, "We have two of the top Mermaid AO makers at the mall already. Kami Hitoe is there,  and Tala AO. The aquatic clocks are one of my favorite shops. Tir Na Nog is there. They have lovely mer tails."

For a limited time offer, a special pricing offer is available for anyone interesting in getting a booth: two months for the price of one. The offer is valid until May 15, 2021 or until all the booths are rented (whichever happens first).

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Union%20Passage/230/192/2

Bixyl Shuftan
  

Reader Submitted: Subnautica Revisited

SL Newser reader Rita Mariner is quite the fan of the game Subnautica. It's unique among survival games in that it takes place mostly underwater. Although she got the game well over a year ago, she continues to play it a great deal. So why so much time in one game? She recently wrote a reader submission to explain why, and a few tips on how to win.

Read Rita's submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Subnautica Below Zero, Part Two

Last month, Rita Mariner wrote about the sequel to the popular aquatic survival game Subnautica, "Subnautica: Below Zero." Since then, the early-access game has continued to develop, and Rita's continued to play, noticing both the changes and the deeper sea levels that getting better equipment has allowed her to do. So she decided to write once again about the game.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica Below Zero

A few months ago, Rita Mariner sent the Newser a walkthrough of the underwater survival game Subnautica. Lately, she's been playing a sequel: Subnautica Below Zero. Taking place some time after the events in the original, this time the player has to deal with surviving the cold waters of the polar region of the planet. So what does Rita think of the game?

Read Rita's reader-submitted review in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica, Part Seven

Rita Mariner has been writing a series of reader-submitted articles on the water-based survival game "Subnautica." Today, we present the seventh and final part of her review. Here, she describes to get what you need to reach the last of the alien buildings you'll need to get into. You'll finally be able to deal with a certain problem that's been attracting a certain kind of monster to you for a while. And not every creature you meet is out to get you. Finally, there's what to get for the last big thing you'll need to make: the escape rocket that allows you to leave the planet and win the game.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica, Part Six

For the past few weeks, Rita Mariner has been doing reader submitted articles on the aquatic survival game Subnautica. In earlier chapters, she described getting started and then going out beyond your initial area. In this story, Rita describes what could be called the end of the middle part of the game, in which there's just one more kind of resource left to gather. Getting to it however means braving some dangers and some strategy.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica, Part Five

Rita Mariner has been doing reader-submitted articles about a new favorite game of hers: the ocean-based survival game of Subnautica. In earlier parts of the series, she wrote about what to do at the start and the middle part of the game. Part five is about what do do when getting to the Lost River, having to deal with acidic spots and still more powerful creatures.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica, Part Four

Rita Mariner has been doing reader submissions on the ocean-based survival game Subnautica. In earlier chapters, she described getting started and then going out beyond your initial area. In the fourth article of her series, having just gotten the "Prawn suit," you'll be able to dive deeper. You'll be needing to, to find more resources and more blueprints to things that you'll need. But to get the rewards, you'll have to go through the risks of monsters and hostile environments, all while keeping an eye on your oxygen supply.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica, Part Three

Rita Mariner has been sending in reader submitted articles about the undersea survival game Subnautica. In her third story, which takes place in the middle part of the game, she describes how as your character progresses, your end goal of escaping the planet is within sight. Unfortunately, a nasty surprise is discovered that threatens your ability to realize that.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review - Subnautica, Part Two

Last week, Rita Mariner sent in her first of a number of reader submitted articles about Subnautica. Subnautica is a single player survival game taking place in an ocean of an alien planet. In Part Two, she describes what happens after the beginning part of the game as you venture further from where your life pod landed. As you explore more and gather more resources, you become able to build better tools. But you will be needing them to face greater dangers.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Reader Submitted: Game Review Subnautica

With most popular survival games these days, your biggest enemy is other players, usually in some jungle or forest. Not so in Subnautica. This survival game takes place in an environment not often seen in gaming: underwater. The game is also has only a single player mode, so the only things after you are hostile species of wildlife, and the elements, and your thirst and hunger. Newser reader Rita Maniner has been playing the game, and recently sent what will hopefully be the first of a few reader submissions on it.

Read Rita's article in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Safe Waters Foundation Survey

Grace Wrigglesworth recently decided to conduct a poll as to what the interest in underwater virtual life Second Life residents have. So she made the following questions for people to copy/paste to a notecard inworld, fill out, and send it to her via her profile (GraceSWF Wrigglesworth).

 * * * * *

My Full SL Name and Nickname:

Community/entity represented:

Your status in the community (e.g. owner, manager, officer, etc.):

Community sim locations:

What time zone do you live in (RL)

Please provide contact information.  When is the best time to reach you (SLT) and best methods:

What is your perception of the current state of underwater life in SL?:

What aspects of SL underwater life would you like to see improved?:

In your opinion, what are the strengths of your community in what it brings to the global underwater community?:

Are there any aspects of your community that could be improved by collaboration with other underwater communities?:

Do you have any questions about how Safe Waters Foundation can help your community?:

In your opinion, how can Safe Waters Foundation best help the global underwater community?:

_______________________________________________________

Thank you for your time and cooperation!
Please complete this survey, save a copy and rename it to include your name.  Please drop your renamed notecard on GraceSWF Wrigglesworth.

Avatar Review: The Anthroxtacy Shark

Second Life offers many kinds of nonhuman avatars for going about the land of Second Life. But what about the water? There is of course traditional mermaid avatars. But there's more than that. One other kind of aquatic avatar out in Second Life is the Anthroxacty shark. Although it's maker is no longer active in Second Life, there is a place where not only can one still get the avatar, but get it for free.

Read the review in Design.

Grace Wrigglesworth and the Safe Waters Foundation

Yours truly recently had a chance to interview Grace Wrigglesworth, the head of the Safe Waters Foundation. To those who don't know, Safe Waters is the largest organization of merfolk groups, fans of mermaid, merman, and similar avatars such as sirens and anthro sharks. We talked some about how she came to Second Life and how the Foundation started.

Read more in People.

The Sea of Aley

Gemma Cleanslate has been visiting the Linden Endowment of the Arts exhibits, and made a great find. Coming across an artist named Aley, she found someone behind a number of fine aquatic-themed builds and exhibits. Some of her creations can be picked of for free for those willing to hunt for them.

Read more in Design.

RFL: Water Region Submarine Ride

With the Relay for Life track due to come down sooner than expected, I made the decision to postpone writing on The Walk over the weekend, and instead do something on an example of one of the rides there before it vanishes. There’s so many cool things to do, sorry to say many will get a mention only after they’re gone.

One place that did get my attention was the “RFL Activity Water Region,” mentioned in a notecard passed around in the volunteer group of activities on the track. One link was to a “Jules Verne/Steampunk” submarine ride. So I ported over to see for myself. Arriving there, I found myself on a dock, and the submarine was next to the dock, ready for the next passeger. The top half was mostly glass, which made looking around in mouselook a fair option.

The stand next to the ship was labeled the “Romantic Submarine guided Tour System.” While the sub was big enough for two passengers, the ride’s just fine solo. After getting in, there’s a ten second pause for anyone else, then the ship begins going down under the surface.

And the scenery is quite detailed. The water is just teeming with aquatic life from fish of various sizes, octopuses, jellyfish, and more. I think I saw a shark down there as well. The terrain was well done as well, forrests of kelp and other water plants, red lava flows, and more. The path of the submarine takes one into a cave and to some underwater ruins. The mermaid dance poses and rideable octopus suggests this area might be a merfolk hangout, which would add to the attraction.

The ride ends with your avie back on land, ready to get on the next attraction.

I highly suggest dropping by to see these rides and attractions. By tomorrow July 21, those that haven’t been taken down will be due to close.

To get to the submarine peir, head to the RFL Activity Water Region, RFL Contemplation (144, 41, 23) .

Bixyl Shuftan