Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Socks' Rough Guide to Second Life Surfing (IV)

Pipe & Fluffy (R to Z)

Rob John waves breaking on Surf City South Beach

San Diego City (fluffy only)
A very short fluffy run in the SW of the sim. You have to join the 'San Diegans in SL' group to rezz a board. Looks like a tourist sim mostly. The break is at (74, 57, 25) or so. The surf waves aren't long or large, but if you gotta ride 'em all, put this on your list!
SLURL: San Diego City

Spartan Women

Must...resist... (Sparta joke!). Fluffies only, looks mostly residential but it's labeled as a surf beach. Waves right off LM point.

SLURL: Spartan Women

SSP

Short for Silver Surfer Project. Short fluffy run. Expect to be hit up to join the group once you rez in.
SLURL:
SSP

Sunset Bay
Set up in a V pattern, the waves meet near the beach. Mostly residential, the beach has several surf specific stores along with others. Board loaners on beach.
SLURL:
Sunset Bay

Surf Botanica
As best I can tell, home beach for Real Surfers group. Japanese. Stores on site include Analog Surf and Real Surfers. No obvious rez location for boards, but a few loaners beachside if you comb a while.
SLURL:
Surf Botanica

Surf Camp
SSI home, force midnight for luminescent waves. Lots of surf specific shops here, including glow boards and windsurfers. Near the pier on the N end are loaner boards. You need to be a "Surf Camp" member to use two of them, or be less than 90 days old to use the third. Good beginner's place.
SLURL:
Surf Camp

Surf City South
The main TP spot uses Rob John style waves. Head down the stairs for a demo board, and try this wave yourself.
SLURL:
Surf City South

Surf City South Beach
A pleasant find! One pipeline, and one Rob John style wave on a mostly water sim! Rob John "demo" board at lifeguard shack near TP point. This beach is 'clothing optional', but nothing blatantly obscene. Use discretion.
SLURL: Surf City South Beach

TCH Saba Island
More of a residential area, but a nice long pipe and fluffy ride. Need to have a TCH Surf Zone tag to rez your board in the designated area. Also features scuba with a nice plane wreck. (Damage Enabled Area).
SLURL: TCH Saba Island

Teahupoo Surf Beach
No obvious place to rez boards, and no information on where to go to do so. Loaner boards are also either set for group or none. If anyone has ideas how to ride these waves easily, I'm all ears. I'd like to try this place too, the waves look fun in design and layout.
SLURL: Teahupoo Surf Beach

TiKi Lounge & TiKi Tattoo

This may be a private sim ride, but the Tiki lounge used to have a pipe, and it's moved next door. So as long as they don't say nothin, I'm good with it. To get to the waves, from the TP point go West near the 'Sit and Dream' palm tree which is in the next sim over. Rez board here, and slowly paddle into the next sim.
SLURL: TiKi Lounge & TiKi Tattoo

Topanga Beach
Sim long run, loaners on the beach near the flag poles usually. Also has jetskis. Some shops along the beach, and lots of cool places to hang out. (Damage Enabled Area)
SLURL: Topanga Beach

Tsunami Island

Sister sim to Tsunami Beach, this is currently where the pipes are hiding out. Still a work in progress, right now. SLURL: Tsunami Island

Tsunami Beach
Only black sand beach in SL to my knowledge. Loaners on the beach, full shop in South-East corner of sim. Also home to Team Tsunami, team HQ is in the South-East corner as well. Watch out for turtles!
SLURL: Tsunami Beach

Wimbi Island
Sim-long run, only public rez area is in Majini. Paddle west across the sim line to here if you don't have a 'Bishara' tag. Some loaners usually near TP point. Surf through the rocks, and check out the Mangrove bar & grill on the West side of the sim.
SLURL: Wimbi Island

XenoX Harbour
The TP point puts you on a pier overlooking a nice fluffy run. To the South-West you'll see an aircraft carrier. Fly up and over it to hover over the fluffy run at (25, 141, 25) Rez your board, get on, and enjoy. OR, if you want more of a thrill, rez on the carrier deck, get on and push over the side for a woo-hoo freefall. And it' snot a 'privateer'' ride, I talked to the guy who owns the sim, it's cool. SLURL: XenoX Harbour

Xuriel
Fastest. Fluffies. Ever! You can rez gear by walking to the second pier, and hovering over the water at (129, 146, 24) or there about. Sometimes there are loaners, sometimes not.
SLURL:
Xuriel


INFO FOR NEW SECOND LIFE SURFERS
Many surf sites will leave surfboards on the beach that are open for anyone to use. These are 'loaners'. They're there to be enjoyed, because we all know what it's like to be new and not have the money to afford a board. If you use a loner, it's asked that you return it to where you found it, or if you found it in the middle of the sim to please ride it back to the beach. Also, if more than one sim is connected together, try not to ride a loaner board out of the sim you got it in. If you do, ride it back to where it was. It's just so the next time you want to ride, there will be a board there for you.

There are resources in world for learning surfing, available at Surf Camp, Majini Island, and many oher places. Majini also has a good 'etiquette' notecard that's good reading as well to learn how the lineup works. Also read SurfWatch's beginners guide 'Second Life Surfing 101'. If you're interested in buying a board of your own, there are several good companies out there. The best advice I can give is to try as many as you can, and find what you're comfortable on, then find those boards. I will update this guide's list to include 'home bases' for companies as I can.

Good luck, and happy surfing!

Socks Clawtooth

Socks' Rough Guide to Second Life Surfing (III)

Pipe & Fluffy (M to Q)

A short pipeline and fluffy break at Oahu Island

Maa Surf Area
Sim long run, TP point at wave start. Also features full beach at East end of run. Lots of critters in the water for scuba and exploration. Some board loaners on East side of run.
SLURL:
Maa Surf Area

MarLin Bay

Looks like another residential sim, but open build means open water. Fluffies only, look South-West of the TP area.
SLURL: MarLin Bay

Mandi Island

Part of the TCH Estates, this seems a total departure from the rest of TCH. Not damage enabled, open rezzing of boards (at 33,44,25 or so in the red square), and what looks like a pure surf sim. Loaner boards on beach as well as for sale. Lots of stuff here to do besides surf. Skytram goes up to an airport.
SLURL:
Mandi Island

Mortons Gully
Small Japanese fluffy ride. For the life of me I can't tell you what in the world is here, as I speak about as much Japanese as the next publicly educated American citizen. But where the LM is you can rez a board and try your luck on the fluffy here.
SLURL:
Mortons Gully

Moulin Rouge

Beach is South West of TP point. Very short run.
SLURL: Moulin Rouge

Nag's Head

Fluffies only, can be run from Fulker Island, if you're lucky and good. Other beach activities. Of note: there are a lot of surfing waves around this area, but some seem to be on residential sims. If you want to privateer a ride here, do so at your own risk. Until I hear otherwise, I'm not putting them on the list as they may be privately owned.
SLURL: Nag's Head

Naughty Time Beach

Short fluffy run only, and the name of the place should tell you all you need to know. The striper's pole right off the break is a nice touch.
SLURL:
Naughty Time Beach

New April Island / Freeport

A two wide pipe takes half of this sim, and it's a nice long run. The other half has surf shops, as well as many other vendors. The other part of the sim has surf vendors, as well as a fun comedy club and a yacht. Explore! Lots of fun scenery for photos!
SLURL:
New April Island

Nymph's Beach

Sim long, some loaners on the beach near TP point. Spectacular bonfire on West side of the beach!
SLURL: Nymph's Beach

Oahu Island

Ehukai Beach. Some sales on beach and beginner loaners available. TP point is a central hub. Go out the hut to the trail going North to (91,224, 22) to find the surf beach. And the biggest freaking shark I've ever seen in the water to the East!
SLURL: Oahu Island

Passion Island

Waves are West of TP telehub. However, walk West, then to the South pier to about 128, 77, 21. This is the only rez area I found witin easy reach. This section of pier is off colored. A word of warning: the waves enter into what is currently a 'red line' area, someone's land that is sealed off. I had to pull a stunt to get my board out of said land. Don't ride the pipe all the way, bail out around the end of the pier area. Portions of sim are damage enabled.
SLURL: Passion Island

Pepo Island

Force midnight for luminescent pipes and fluffies plus particle glow effects! Public rez area in Majini, Pepo is a short paddle east (Majini Rez area).

SLURL: Pepo Island


Pink Rose

Rob John wave and loaner boards available. Other activities here as well.

SLURL: Pink Rose

Playa Santa Teresa (pipeline waves only)

Force midnight for luminisent pipes! Four synched from end to end of the sim. Glow boards for sale here.
SurfWatch Surf Report: Costa Rica
SLURL: Playa Santa Teresa

Pondi Beach

Beach sim, Pipes and fluffies are separated here. Rez area is a pontoon out on the water (251, 181, 21), where you can find "beginner board" loaners. Fly over, I wouldn't trust the in sim teleporter. Sales on beach area. The. Shortest. Pipe. Ever!

SLURL:
Pondi Beach

Praia da PAZ

Brazilian, from all I can see. Fluffies only off the TP point, but no obvous place to rez a board. A little exploration may yield another wave pool, but it looks temporary.

SLURL: Praia da PAZ

PX Caves and Surfing
Very short fluffy run, more of a hangout sim.
SLURL: PX Caves and Surfing

Quan Li
Another one of the originals. TP brings you in front of fluffies, walk to the West for a short pipe run. It looks like this is the Namiko home site right now.
SLURL: Quan Li

NEXT

Socks' Rough Guide to Second Life Surfing (II)

Pipe & Fluffy (A to L)

A fluffy only break at Hana Aloha

Abrico Naturist
Nude surf beach with fluffies. You can ride here providing that you join their group, have a human avatar, and are always naked while there! But it's a very short run!
SLURL: Abrico Naturist

Analog Surf

Home base of, obviously, Analog Surf. The store is right on a nice break. Loaners available on the beach, or sales in the store. Open rezzing for your own rides, which is a nice touch. The way to the beach from the TP hub is to walk North/North-East to (56, 100, 22) either through the store or under it.
SLURL:
Analog Surf

Black Rock Harbor

Sim long / wide, Single pipe and crossing fluffies make a very technical ride. TP point is on NE corner, easiest to catch beginning of waves. Loaners if you're lucky. Connects to Heliopolis, and has great atmospherics.
SurfWatch Surf Report: Black River Harbor
SLURL:
Black Rock Harbor

The Bomba Shack (fluffies only)

Fluffies only. Spectacular shipwreck under the waves if you like scuba activity. Crowded sim, a little laggy, but worth the trip.
SLURL:
The Bomba Shack

The Boneyard

Reaction home surf area, and billed as the 'most dangerous surf spot' in Second Life. I'm almost inclined to agree. If the rocks and sharks in the water don't get you, the coconut tree with falling bowling balls might. It's the only surf sim I go in the water armed. I think I saw a skull in the water there too. Easiest way to the beach from rez point is walking south to the ramp. Loaners on the beach. Sales of Reaction Pro boards and gear in the mall at the TP area.
SLURL:
The Boneyard

Bounty Reef (pipeline only)

Come for the waves, stay for the babes! "Sugar Dolls" club is on the beach next to a dual pipe run that's diagonal along the sim for maximum distance. Some loaners on the beach, you may have to look for them. A nice long comfortable ride.
SLURL: Bounty Reef

Bundoran Reef

Mostly fluffies with 3 wide pipe. Loaners on beach. Full surf shop on W. side of sim, as well as surf mall in the sim to the south within walking distance. Paddle distance to Neart
.
SurfWatch Surf Report: Bundoran Reef
SLURL: Bundoran Reef

Bummer Bay

Fluffies only, they run about 1/2 the sim. LM takes you to Mission Beach, which is predominantly a gay area, and the only place you can rez a board easily. Waves are due West of rez point and Mission Beach has some fluffies in sim too. Great place, but you've been warned!
SLURL:
Bummer Bay

Bushido Bay

Home beach to Action Surf & Skate and their surfboards. You can try one of Action's boards on the water or rez your own. Warning though, the autoreturn is 1 minute or less. So if you rez a board, when you get off it the sim dumps it into your lost and found folder. LM puts you in the center of Action's sales area, so it loads a few hundred sale boards before you can see anything. From rez, walk North-East/East to beach area.

SLURL:
Bushido Bay

Chi

One of the original surf sims, single pipe and fluffy, short run. It's been said if you can ride here, you can ride anywhere.
SurfWatch Surf Report: Chi
SLURL: Chi

Cin Cin on the Island of amore

Yes, they have waves, but no really easy way to rez a board. This is one of my 'privateer' locations, because of the difficulty in putting down a board. They have fluffies only, and 'surfparty' loaner boards, but that's not exciting. If you wander the sim enough, you can find an area you can rez a board, but I'm not telling where!
SLURL: Cin Cin on the Island of amore

Costa Rica Playa Escondida

3 wide pipes (no fluffies),full sim. It's almost, but not quite, like riding an Epic. AKA : "Playa Escondida", board rez area is a few steps north of TP point.
SurfWatch Surf Report: Costa Rica
SLURL:
Costa Rica Playa Escondida

El Corazon

Home of the Thor Bishop Shortboard Pro. TP point brings you to a telehub. You have to walk South-West to coordinates 67, 112, 23. No loaners, but surf shop near waves. Shortboard recommended, and almost always laggy.
SLURL:
El Corazon

Enchanted Wood

Must be a member of "Surfers Paradise Group" to rez a board.

SLURL:
Enchanted Wood

Hana Aloha

One of the stranger surf spots I've see. TP point is at a fluffy run running 2/3 the sim length North to South, which intersects a pipe run running 2/3 East to West. If you do it right, you can catch the pipe on the corner and have a double length run
.
SLURL:
Hana Aloha

Hedonisim Beach 2

As of this typing, not much here. Flufies only, but they look sim long which is a rarity. No loaners on the beach currently, but hopefully that changes soon.

SLURL: Hedonisim Beach 2

imagiLEARNING Island
Fluffies, but I can't find anywhere to rez a board, nor any info on about how to do so. No loaners either, which is very strange.

SLURL: imagiLEARNING Island

Hippocamps

From TP point walk North to beach. From here you can see the dual pipe/fluffy run. If you're good, you can "jump the gap" over the rocks down the middle and ride from pipe to pipe. Big Dawg surfboards for sale here.

SLURL: Hippocamps


Japanese Sunset Beach*JSSA
Japanese Sunset Beach*Japan SL Surfing Association I can't find a public rez area here, and all the boards seem to be 'group only', but I did find one loaner I could use without group tag. The group you need to join is Japanese Sunset Beach. Multiple staggered pipes and fluffies in a dedicated cove setting. Freebie wetsuit if you look on the West side of the beach.

SLURL: Japanese Sunset Beach

Laguna Beach Club

TP is a hub. Walk East/North-East to (208, 62, 21) to arrive at beach. Fluffies only, not a great surf sim, but worth trying once.

SLURL: Laguna Beach Club

NEXT

Socks' Rough Guide to Second Life Surfing (I)

By Socks Clawtooth, Senior Furry Correspondent.

Well, here is the first edition of Socks' Rough Guide to Second Life Surfing. All locations are current as of July 1st, 2008 (meaning I stood at the landmark (SLURL) in the following locations and checked to make sure the waves were there and probably rezed a board and rode on it). Second Life changes so fast that this may be obsolete in a week, but many of these landmark's are long term surf sims. I chose to not include sims that have 'party boards' and no waves. All waves listed are ridable with your own surfboards or ones provided on site.

Information for new
Second Life surfers is at the bottom of this list, including terms definitions, and some things you should know that will make surfing a lot more fun! The numbers before the landmarks indicate the revision that the sim was added. If you have a surf sim and would like to be added, contact 'Socks Clawtooth' in world and I'll get you on here!

The opinions expressed with the landmarks are purely of Socks Clawtooth, and nobody else. At least that is unless they hacked it in which case this could say anything. I'm trying to be unbiased here, as there's a lot of places to surf in
Second Life and each one is, surprisingly, different which is why I add my notations. I would encourage you to sim-hop, take in a safari, and see what else is out there. You might find something that I missed. And final disclaimer, I'm not responsible for anything you might do that's silly or stupid. There. Let's get surfing.

BIG
WAVES

A big Epic wave breaking at Neart, West of Ireland

Cantina Beach Club
Home base of the Lance Armstrong Foundation in Second Life, this LM takes you to a dance cantina. Loaner boards (usually 'Team Tsunami' boards) can be found usually on the South end of the beach.
SLURL: Cantina Beach Club


Cornish Surf Beach

You need to be a member of the group "Cornish Surf Beach", and have your tag up, to rez a board here. Sometimes it's an epic, sometimes it's a pipe, I think it's just confused or going through a phase.
SLURL: Cornish Surf Beach

Costa Rica Pacifico Central

Epic is only 1/3 the run of a normal Epic sim, very wide. TP point is near rez area. Costa Rica Pacifico Central is also known as Playa Del Rey.
SurfWatch Surf Report: Costa Rica

SLURL: Costa Rica Pacifico Central

Hedonisim Beach

Like a Phoenix, it's back! Loaner board on the beach, automatically de-rezzes when you hop off. And it's a long Epic too! Watch out for the shark in the water!
SLURL: Hedonisim Beach

ILHA Brazil

To be honest, I really don't know quite what category to put this as. It's called a 'Teahuppo' wave. It's a sculpted prim wave being made that's about the size of an Epic, so it goes in this section. No rez area, but there are loaner boards of click and go. I'll give it points for innovation, you have to see it for yourself.
SLURL:
ILHA Brazil

Majini Island

Part of Bishara Estates, the Epic is updated very frequently. Many loaner boards on the beach. Non-member rez area is due east (212,246,21) within the red pylons. Voted as 'Best Competition Day 2008' by the SLSA and it's a high quality Epic.

SurfWatch Surf Report: Majini Island
SLURL: Majini Island


Moana'Ina Beach @ Weather Island

One of the oldest epics on the grid, still running the old version pre Havok 4, so be warned. She's not the ride she used to be. TP takes you to the visitors center, but should highlight the beach area. For new riders, go to the landmark beacon, head down to Sebastian's Surf Shack (currently blue building at 17,159,26), and go in through the curtain. Once here, click on a 'TWC Epic' surfboard to get one and get a free wetsuit from the box next to the board. 'TWC Epic' boards only work here, and will destruct if you try them elsewhere. And it's fun to surf in the rain, by the way.

SLURL: Moana'Ina Beach


Neart

Part of the West of Ireland group of sims, head East to the epic, West for Bundoran Reef. Reef Rider's Epic, free beer in the inn on the beach. Always a few loaner boards on the beach. They may be standing upright, but they're ready to go.

SLURL:
Neart

TCH Barbuda

Newer Epic, to rez you need to be a member of the TCH Surf Zone. To reach from TP point through store South-West, and then due South to get to Epic (Damage Enabled Area)
. I'd love to include a precise TP point, but they won't let me!
SLURL: TCH Barbuda

NEXT