I'm pleased to announce with this post and its updates to how to find SL (Second Life) surfing spots, that Surfwatch’s Wave Report web site is back in action thanks to Tauri Tigerpaw being back in SL. It’s been updated again and can be another way to find surfing venues. You can also get to the Wave Report by clicking on a link that’s in the Surfwatch blog’s main page sidebar on the right.
Last July, Cierra Theriac's Virtual Surfside blog published an article on how to find surfing venues in SecondLife. Since that time, a couple of more options have become available, Wave Report has been resurrected, and one has been discontinued and replaced with a new way of finding things. The July post is still a good reference for Linden Labs’ Destination Guide and the free Surfing Community Teleport Board provided by Clairebear (tclairetbeart.aeon).
Denise Foxtrot has designed and made freely available an SLSA information sign that includes several other informational resources in addition to a list of surfing sims. The sign has a weathered board theme with different pictures and a couple of size formats.
The shark warning sign on Solace Dreams that has been used for distributing a list of public surfing sims since 2009 has been replaced by a new multi-sim teleporting and notecard giver sign created by Denise Foxtrot. This sign takes the same list of LM’s (landmarks) that have been distributed in the Surfwatch surfing sim list and builds a TP (transport) sign that let’s you scroll through the list of LM’s and select one for a TP. It also provides a copy of the “Simlist” notecard if you prefer keeping a copy of the list in your Inventory.
The coolest thing about this new sign is that multiple copies of the sign can be distributed all over the grid by anyone who wants a copy. When an update is made to a central content server, an updated sign with the new list of LM’s and an updated notecard is automagically sent to everyone who has one of these signs. There’s no need to go to another distribution sign to pick up a copy, or depend upon someone without a stellar memory (er, that'd be me) remembering to send you an updated list. If you’d like a copy of this sign, please IM Kantbe Thursday.With all of these options, I still can’t over emphasize the LL Destinations Guide option. This could be the most frequently accessed way people new to surfing try to find a surfing spot. Doing an inworld search on "surfing" is unreliable because so many people put this in the keywords of their sim's description even though they don't provide surfing waves. Years ago, the SLSA (Second Life Surfing Association) Board of Directors worked for months with Linden Labs to help promote community development. Having a category in Destinations Guide was one of the things that resulted from this work. This is primarily intended for use by the surfing spot owner. Also part of the Destinations Guide is Featured Events. If you have an event, like a multi-grid surf off, or a week long "get to know SL surfing" that's open to everyone, it could be a candidate for a Destinations Guide Featured Event. If you have a sim you’d like listed and are having trouble navigating their submission requirements, drop an IM (instant message) to Kantbe Thursday who can help you get your sim listed.
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