Category: Second Life

Three million years ago (more or less!), a volcano estimated to be up to 5,800 metres tall and within what is now Tanzania, Africa, blew its top and collapsed in on itself. Today, the remnants of massive eruption form the Ngorongoro Crater. Located 1,800 metres above sea-level, the crater floor covers an area of 260 square kilometres and sits over 600 metres below the surrounding crater walls. It stands as the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled caldera crater, and in 2013 was made one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.

The crater sits within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Directly abutting the Serengeti National Park, the NCA forms a part of the Great Migration trail, a circular route an estimated quarter-million zebra, 1.7 million wildebeest, almost half a million gazelle and hundreds of thousands of other African game follow annually. As such, the NCA – and Ngorongoro Crater – is home to a rich diversity of animal life (together with birds), and is a major tourist destination, attracting 500,000 visitors a year.

The Crater is also the inspiration for the latest iteration of LeLoo’s World, Critter Crater.

Embark on a breath-taking tour of a crater inspired by Tanzania’s iconic Ngorongoro Crater, where adventure unfolds in exhilarating ways. Whether you choose a rugged jeep tour or take to the skies in a silent glider, you will be met with a landscape brimming with untamed beauty. Or, take the zipline ride into the heart of the crater, where you can explore on foot. Many scenic vistas await at every turn, offering the perfect backdrop for capturing those cherished summer memories.

– LeLoo’s World: Critter Crater description

Obviously, trying to recreate an entire caldera in SL isn’t really feasible; however, working with just half a Full region, Leloo (LeLooUlf) has done a remarkable job in providing hilly, rugged terrain backed by tall peaks, complete with its own small-scale crater with an animal watering-hole covering part of the floor. In addition, the landscape extends beyond the crater, presenting elements that might be taken as the shores of one of Tanzania’s may lakes (Lake Manyara, perhaps, given its proximity to NCA?) and a little hint of plains land.

The Landing Point sits on the crater rim, close to the eastern end of the region, and immediately reveals this is a setting with a lot to do as well as see. There’s a zip line to carry visitors down into the crater, passing over the watering hole in the process (itself a nod to the lake within Ngorongoro Crater?). Or, for those who prefer, there is a microlight air-tour with a very appropriate name given its somewhat Heath Robinson look: the Rickety Cricket. Best enjoyed in Mouselook, it offers a nice eagle’s eye automated tour of the setting (you don’t fly it yourself), lasting 4 minutes.

If zipping and taking an aerial tour don’t appeal, it is also possible to circumnavigate the crater rim. Doing so offers a full view of the setting, together with steps down into the crater or out to the land beyond the crater’s walls. And, as an aside, those taking the walk should keep an eye out for tour jeeps, which also use a part of the crater rim, and also for the opportunity to take your photo with a couple of the locals!

The start of the jeep tour can be found in the lowlands west of the crater, alongside the local market. Like the microlight tour, this is automated, and will last some three minutes, and, again like the microlight, is suitable for individuals and couples / pair.

In terms of the wildlife within Critter Crater, this is – like it’s real-world inspiration – a rich variety to be found: elephants, lions, giraffe, leopards, hippos, gazelle, African buffalo, hyenas, zebra, crocodiles and more. There are even some interesting characters not generally native to Tanzania to be found in the form of tigers, stoats and sloths, all of whom offer a curious little twist to the setting. The birds and wildfowl are also diverse, with flamingos being the most numerous.

There are multiple places where visitors can take a seat and relax, both up high and down low. Those feeling darling and float among the animals at the main watering hole – even right up close to hippos, despite their nature. If this doesn’t appeal, there bathe can also be found in the pool close the waterfalls in the western part of the setting, whilst fishing can be found just of the western coast.

Speaking of the western end of the setting, there is a house located up on a high plateau there. The land is labelled as Katie’s Home, and I’m not sure if it is public or private, as there are indications it might be either (e.g. being on its own parcel whilst having sign boards in the grounds offering visitor teleports to the air and ground tours). There are no signs to suggest it is private, and the grounds are where a couple of the local tigers might be found. I’d therefore suggest that if you wander up to it in search of the tigers, keep out of the house, just in case!

I admit that I personally found the environment settings perhaps detracted from the beauty of Critter’s Crater (I opted for setting with more of a HDR lean when exploring / photographing), but that’s a minor personal preference. The flipside is there is no mistaking the attractiveness of the setting, or the fun to be had in visited and exploring.

SLurl Details

• LeLoo’s World, Critter Crater (Friends, rated Moderate)

Yoyo Collas – he of Borkum fame (which I last covered at the start of the year) – is now back with a new Homestead region design in the form of the rugged, mysterious islands of Luna Sea, assisted in his work this time by AmyDenise.

These low-lying islands, sitting under a misted sky marked by a recently-risen Sun, are home to a plethora of wildlife, and form an interesting and interconnected trio. Between them they are rich in detail, colour and opportunities for exploration, relaxation and photography.

The Landing Point sits on the largest of the three islands, a long finger of west-pointing rock where hardy grass, shrubs and a few headstrong trees with their back bent as if twisted by ocean winds over the years, have gained a toe-hold.

The ground gives the suggestion of a possible volcanic origin, which together with some of the mammals present – notably the walrus and grey seals – suggesting the islands could be a remote part of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province; not that anywhere in SL has to be based or inspired on any actual physical world location, this is just a game I like to play in the hope of additional sparking imaginations. A colony of eared seals has also come ashore close by the Landing Point, further suggesting a north Atlantic vibe to the islands (although eared seals can in fairness be found the world over).

This island is dominated by three structures. Two are built out over the waters between it and the southern island, and the third –and largest – raises itself over the island’s high point on study legs – although “high point” is here a relative term, it being little more that a hump of rock at towards the island’s eastern end and sitting just a little above the island’s general elevation.

Reached via stairs leading up to a central covered deck, this large unit forms a comfortable home sturdily built in steel and wood, the decks available on three sides offering commanding views to the west, north and east. It does not appear to be a private residence, but open for visitors to enjoy, the décor perfectly put together by AmyDenise.

The two buildings built out over the water share a common deck. They stand as a pair of artist’s studios and the local café offering refreshments on the seaward part of their shared deck; just be prepared to share your nibbles with the local kitties! This deck also offers sheltered moorings for boats visiting the island. In addition, a large fishing trawler sits alongside, whilst pedal boats are tied-up below one of the studio units. Access to the majority of these moorings from the eastern ends of the island is prevented courtesy of the pier bridge connecting to the second largest island – although this pier can (and does) also offer places where boats can be brought alongside and moored.

Roughly half the size of the main island, the second isle is more of a bump of granite shingle rising from the surrounding waters. Again, shrubs and grass cling to it, together with a single tree. However, its most striking feature takes the form of two large huts.

These look as if some giant hand has taken the hull of a wooden ship and planted it keel-side up on the island, before using a cleaver to slice it neatly into two halves, then moving them apart. They are set as a surfer’s retreat and workshop, and thus suggest a further geographical influence for (and mystery to) these islands. A further geographical mix is added by the presence of several giant turtles, monitor lizards and red-crowned crane (whose height strongly suggests they will brook no argument from mere humans!).

The third island lies to the north side of the region, barely off the coast of the main island. So close, in fact, it is connected by a short, low wooden bridge passing over a narrow neck of shallow wetland, suggesting that it one time the two were once a singular landmass. Further shallows lie to the west, extending both to the main island and out to where a trio of massive wind turbines stand as sentinels watching over the setting. With nets staked out across their length and breadth ready to herd fish into their various traps, the nets have become a feeding ground for egrets, seagulls and heron.

Largely comprising igneous shingle, this smallest of the three islands has a single blunt thumb of a thumb-tip of rock poking upwards, capped by the most extraordinary structure. Resembling a recently-landed space vehicle, it is reached via step hammered into the rock on which it stands, its upper level marked by four large, leaf-like hatchways folded back to reveal its interior. Here can be found a celebration of the island’s most mysterious inhabitant, and the one which perhaps brings visitors to the islands’ shores: actias luna, the luna moth (aka the American moon moth).

A mysterious silence reigns on a remote, mist-shrouded island of black sand and jagged rocks. Sharp cliffs rise from the sea like ancient sentinels, and strange, silvery plants grow among glittering lava rocks. This is where the Luna Moth lives—a rare, luminous creature with moon-coloured wings that only appears at night. Its silent flight seems to pierce time and space, as if guarding the dreams of the island itself.     

– Yoyo Collas’ description of Luna Sea

This is not the only place these North American moths might be found; at least one pair are hiding in plain sight on one of the islands. However, I’ll leave it to you to find them and the little family of meerkats which has also made the islands its home 🙂 .

Beautifully conceived and executed, Luna Sea is a highly rewarding visit – so do be sure to hop over and explore!

SLurl Details

• Luna Sea (rated: Moderate)