Second Norway is a excellent place in which to have a home in Second Life, particularly if you like driving, sailing, and / or flying. It’s a place I’ve written about a few times in these pages, particularly during the period of the estate’s uncertain future back in 2020, and its rescue by Vanity Bonito and following it into her network of estates where it remains to this day, managed by one of her highly-capable teams (see: Second Norway: the future is bright).
It was also in 2020 that I made the decision to move to Second Norway myself, and it has been my primary home in SL ever since; it’s an exceptionally comfortable estate in which to live and has a great mix of public and residential places for those looking for somewhere to visit or somewhere to live. One of the locations offering a mix of both is New Deer Isle, a Full private region leveraging the available Land Capacity bonus and offered to people to visit by designer and holder, Kaiden Glocke Tray (KaidenTray). Within the region, he has brought a touch of New England’s charm to Second Norway, as the About Land description notes:
Welcome to the New Deer Isle, inspired by the state of Maine in the United States. There are limited rentals here, fishing, sailable waters and it is near a drivable road that leads to Mainland adventures! Explore, enjoy our events have a wonderful time!
– New Deer Isle About Land description
As with myself, Kaiden has been featured in Linden Lab’s Spotlight series, where is work as one of the foremost (and award-winning) Second Life landscapers is justifiably highlighted. His attention to detail within his designs – something very much evident within New Deer Isle – makes his work a must-see, and this particular region is an absolute delight to visit, whether you teleport in directly, or opt to visit via ‘plane or boat.
Those coming by air can avail themselves of Toka airfield (which has gained a surfaced runway since my last flight in, when it was still grass, but is still better suited to smaller, lighter aircraft than airliners or the like). Those flying-in to Toka will have the opportunity to see some interesting warbirds dispersed among the stands and hangers, and will find New Deer Isle just a short walk across the bridge at the airfield’s southern tip
If coming by boat, a trio of short piers are available on the west side of the setting. These appear to have rezzing open should your boat get returned. There are also some moorings across the water on the east side of New Deer Isle, located at the Crowded Retreat yacht club – but at the time of my visit to New Deer Isle, Crowded Retreat (also designed by Kaiden on behalf of region holder Cr0wd), was listed as Closed – Under Construction, so I did not venture into it and thus cannot say what mooring, if any, is currently permitted there; however, it might become the subject of a return visit in due course!
It’s at the moorings on the eastern side of New Deer Isle that I’m going to start with my meandering description, as this is home to the XX Motorcycle Club, an open-to-all hangout and (I assume) the space for the events mentioned in the description. It is here that some of Kaiden’s little touches can be appreciated – the club’s bar contains all the typical detailing one might expect: pool, beer, darts, places to sit (table and booths).
However, a wander upstairs will reveal something perhaps a little more nefarious. Dominated by a pair of tables set out as if for a board meeting (except for the hand guns, baseball bat and knuckle dusters in evidence, together with a rack of semi-automatic rifles behind the chair at the head of the tables!), are racks containing a sizeable about of bundled paper money and bullion. Also to be found is a board indicating the crew is either planning a raid on “Lind’n Bank”, which appears to be in Moscow(!), or about to make a trip to Mordor and Mt. Doom(!!) . quite which it might be I’ll leave you to decide; I just love the humour evident here 😀 .
From the entrance to the motorcycle club’s hang-out it is possible to make your way eastwards to the local town (which is also home to the land landing point for those teleporting in). This offers a wealth of detail along its various roads and along its waterfront. It is here that the local Rental Office can be found by those interested in making one of the available houses in the region their home. The rental office opens out onto a marvellously detailed waterfront market which, in a mirroring of so many such markets in the physical world, also runs down one of the town’s little streets.
The market has a real sense of life about it – aided by the presence of the static NPCs found in and around it, some shopping, others sitting and watching, some taking photos and some serving the shoppers. More NPC figures are scattered around the town to add a sense of life to it, whilst down along the side street occupied in part by the produce market, can be found the Vintage Market, a place of little boutique shops (and a little gallery) very much of the kind one might find tucked away within a little town like this.
The road continues beyond the vintage market, becoming more a footpath as it accesses the more rural centre of the region, a place where horse graze in a field and one tethered to a hitching rail ready to offer those who wish a ride around the setting’s paths and roads – oh, and if horseback riding is not your thing, then there is also a bicycle rezzer back at the town, if you prefer. This area acts a buffer between the public areas of the region and the more private rentals.
The latter take the form of three large houses, each with a stretch of private beach and private moorings for boats. The road leading to them also provides access to the local farm – but please also note that while the farm’s outbuildings are mostly on public land, the farmhouse itself and the outhouses closest to are form a private residence. For those seeking a place to live closer to the town, at least one little place is available on the town’s north side, close to where a footpath swing around the coast to reach the local shop and boat yard, a little picnic spot also close to hand.
Also reached via the road leading to these houses is the local farm, the fields and barn of which appear open to the public. However, the farmhouse itself is a private residence. There’s another townhouse just downslope from it, but I’ve no idea if that is intended for rent or not. This part of the region also has a little coastal part leading around to the local bait
I admit I did have some choppiness with FPS rates while wandering, possibly because of the amount of work my viewer was trying to do while loading everything, but a quick adjustment to draw distance largely corrected this, and it certainly didn’t stop me from exploring and enjoying my time wandering. I think next time, tho, I might just try boating over form my home island!
SLurl Details
- New Deer Isle (Minka, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 