Southern Canal: Difference between revisions
More actions
2b2twiki>EpicFrankMyres m comma |
2b2twiki>Sunday5883 mNo edit summary |
||
| (40 intermediate revisions by 12 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{ | {{Southern Canal}} | ||
The '''Southern Canal''' is the waterway on 2b2t that runs along the +Z axis (South) as one of the main [[Overworld highways]]. Construction began in December 2014, and as of March 2025, the canal stretches for over 1 million blocks. It has been extended and maintained by many players throughout its history, with dedicated building groups such as [[South Canal Corp]], the [[SCA]], and the [[WaterWay Union]] being focused on its construction. | |||
}} | |||
The '''Southern Canal''' is | |||
The canal | The canal cuts through hills, mountains, and all other natural terrain down to the water surface at Y:63. Player-built structures such as milestones, rest stops, farms, signboards, and pixel art are commonly seen dotted along the sides of the canal. | ||
== Events == | == Events == | ||
December 2014 - Canal created | '''December 2014 -''' Canal created | ||
August 9, 2017 - 100k milestone | '''August 9, 2017 -''' 100k milestone | ||
August 19, 2017 - Battle of the Southern Canal | '''August 19, 2017 -''' Battle of the Southern Canal | ||
'''September 2021 -''' 300k milestone | |||
May 2022 - 320k milestone | '''May 2022 -''' 320k milestone | ||
October 4, 2022 - 400k milestone | '''October 4, 2022 -''' 400k milestone | ||
November 2022 - 500K milestone | '''November 2022 -''' 500K milestone | ||
'''January 21, 2023 -''' Canal is paved over | |||
'''January 23, 2023 -''' [[SCA]] dissolves and the [[WaterWay Union]] is formed | |||
'''July 23, 2023 -''' 550k Milestone | |||
'''March 21, 2025 -''' 1 Million Milestone | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
=== The Beginning === | === The Beginning === | ||
The canal was founded by [[ThebesAndSound]] in December 2014. | The canal was founded by [[ThebesAndSound]] in December 2014. Thebes arrived on the axis after gathering supplies and started creating canal around 26.5k with the original intention to build northwards and eventually finish at spawn. Over the span of four months Thebes built the original section between 21.5k and 26.5k, 5,000 blocks long. | ||
In March 2015, Thebes contacted [[ChadDX]], who was known at the time for building infrastructure at spawn. Thebes gave Chad full ownership of how the spawn end of the canal should look and where it should be, so it could be integrated into Chad's vision for spawn. Chad decided it should start at 1200z, on the outermost ring of the three spawn ring roads he had built (400, 800, and 1200). | |||
Work was done by ChadDX, [[joshYarnspinner]], [[Dic]] and [[rainyafternoon]] to complete the start of the canal at 1200, the build created was named the South Axis Boat Terminal. A short section of the canal was made here from stone brick leading south away from the terminal. Upon hearing of the work happening at the spawn end, Thebes travelled to 1200 to meet these players and join them in building the canal southwards from there. This group of players eventually became known as the South Canal Corp. | |||
=== Upgrades === | === Upgrades === | ||
The canal saw big changes during the 1.9 Minecraft update. During the update, boats received optimizations that made traveling by boat much easier and smoother and so allowed players to travel at speed on the canal. | The canal saw big changes during the 1.9 Minecraft update. During the update, boats received optimizations that made traveling by boat much easier and smoother and so allowed players to travel at speed on the canal. With the 1.9 update, the Frost Walker enchantment became a problem as players would freeze large sections until [[Hausemaster]] re-enabled ice melting during [[The Rusher War]], where the Southern Canal saw significant damage. | ||
During the Rusher War, the Southern Canal was a large hub for [[Rushers]] as they would use it to escape Spawn, as the use of boats reduced hunger less than sprinting. Rushers, along with griefers, caused damage to several buildings along the canal. The two terminals at the start and end of the canals were both griefed during the war. | During the Rusher War, the Southern Canal was a large hub for [[Rushers]] as they would use it to escape Spawn, as the use of boats reduced hunger less than sprinting. Rushers, along with griefers, caused damage to several buildings along the canal. The two terminals at the start and end of the canals were both griefed during the war. | ||
| Line 46: | Line 46: | ||
On August 9, 2017, the Southern Canal reached the 100k milestone. This milestone being announced resulted in the vast majority of the canal to be drained of water using slimestone machines and withered by griefers. A group of volunteers came to the canal and helped South Canal Corp to repair and upgrade the canal, making most of its walls and floor out of obsidian, and adding barriers to counter the use of slimestone machinery. There were numerous PvP encounters in the first days of the repair, including an ambush by [[jared2013]] and other [[SpawnMasons]] on August 19, 2017. Later on, the griefers lost interest in destroying the canal and the repair team continued to fully repair and upgrade the canal back to 100k. | On August 9, 2017, the Southern Canal reached the 100k milestone. This milestone being announced resulted in the vast majority of the canal to be drained of water using slimestone machines and withered by griefers. A group of volunteers came to the canal and helped South Canal Corp to repair and upgrade the canal, making most of its walls and floor out of obsidian, and adding barriers to counter the use of slimestone machinery. There were numerous PvP encounters in the first days of the repair, including an ambush by [[jared2013]] and other [[SpawnMasons]] on August 19, 2017. Later on, the griefers lost interest in destroying the canal and the repair team continued to fully repair and upgrade the canal back to 100k. | ||
On January 17, 2020, a rare server crash corrupted, cloned, and reset some | On January 17, 2020, a rare server crash corrupted, cloned, and reset some chunks at the Southern Canal. Somewhere in 2020, griefers like [[0Neb Appreciation Group|0Neb]] and Mad_King_Lambo started drying parts of the Southern Canal that caused the canal up to 32k to become larger and wider to stop sponges from soaking up the water. The majority of the canal is still filled with water.[[File:South Canal 300k.png|thumb|300k on the Southern Canal, screenshot by [[Scxlly]]]] | ||
=== The SCA and South Canal Corp === | === The SCA and South Canal Corp === | ||
As of May 2022, the [[South Canal Corp]] is inactive but [[ThebesAndSound]] | As of May 2022, the [[South Canal Corp]] is inactive but [[ThebesAndSound]] expressed interest in continuing operations. | ||
After a 320k block milestone, [[xForgeW]], [[Andida]], and [[NinjaSir]] created The [[SCA]] (Southern Canal Association) and expanded the canal to over 500k. | |||
[[The Fifth Column]] built a cargo ship (modeled after the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ever_Given The Ever Given], a cargo container ship that was stuck in the real Suez Canal in 2021) and filled it with elder guardians. | |||
The [[SCA]] reached 500K in November 2022. | |||
=== The Battle of the Suez === | |||
During [[Fifth Column|The Fifth Column's]] blockade of the main canal, the SCA (collaborating with [[DonFuer|Donfuer]]) would build a parallel canal, branching out from the main canal at Z: 483.000, attempting to reach the 500,000 mark without Fifth Column realizing. Fifth Column realized this, causing a lot of PvP and sabotage attempts on the parallel canal. The parallel canal did not finish construction during the Fifth Column attack, but rather in January of 2023. The [[SCA]] would finally remove [[The Fifth Column]]'s cargo ship in December 2022. | |||
=== '''Raptr / Southern Highway Association''' === | |||
In early 2023, a player known as [[Raptr]] led and funded a griefing group to pave over the Southern Canal using obsidian, naming themselves [[Southern Highway Association|SHA]] (in response to [[SCA|SCA.]]) The paving was announced as completed on 21st January 2023.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/2b2t/comments/10i4dn8/the_southern_canal_is_now_the_southern_highway/</ref> | |||
=== | === WaterWay Union === | ||
The [[ | [[File:550k Milestone.png|thumb|The Halo at 550k]] | ||
After the paving of the Southern Canal, there was massive turmoil within SCA, and the group dissolved. [[ThebesAndSound]] worked with [[Godroster]] to establish the [[WaterWay Union]] with many of the active members of SCA. This group worked to remove the obsidian paving on the canal, expand it to be two chunks wide, and add many anti-griefing measures to ensure the Canal remained. They saw much success, and despite some setbacks, the group persisted in their goal of expanding and upgrading the canal. | |||
On July 23rd, 2023, the group reached the 550k mark on the canal, and a milestone was constructed there by [[Max1mumChr1s]] and [[Phosph0lipid]] called "The Halo" | |||
As of March 24th, 2025, the WaterWay Union officially expanded the canal past 1,000,000 blocks in the overworld. This makes the canal the second overworld “highway” to pass this distance. | |||
This group continues to work on the Canal to this day. | |||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
*According to [[Fit]], the canal is the longest made canal in Minecraft history. Whether this is true or not is uncertain. However, from a survival perspective, this has a | *According to [[Fit]], the canal is the longest made canal in Minecraft history. Whether this is true or not is uncertain. However, from a survival perspective, this has a high chance of being true. | ||
*A slimestone bomber was used to dig the canal from ~33,000 to ~56,000. | *A slimestone bomber was used to dig the canal from ~33,000 to ~56,000. | ||
*The canal has had 2 long term southernmost ends, one at 26.5k where it began and another at 56.6k where it meets the Great Southern Ocean that expands to 100k. | *The canal has had 2 long term southernmost ends, one at 26.5k where it began and another at 56.6k where it meets the Great Southern Ocean that expands to 100k. | ||
| Line 74: | Line 80: | ||
*The canal largely replaced an older road consisting of tunnels and wood plank walkways. | *The canal largely replaced an older road consisting of tunnels and wood plank walkways. | ||
*At 72k, the canal's water level drops a block, from Y:64 to Y:63. This was due to terrain generated in Beta 1.8 and beyond having a lower sea level than that of older terrain. From there on the canal is only two blocks deep. | *At 72k, the canal's water level drops a block, from Y:64 to Y:63. This was due to terrain generated in Beta 1.8 and beyond having a lower sea level than that of older terrain. From there on the canal is only two blocks deep. | ||
*At | *At spawn every 1,000 blocks there is a [[Godroster]] rest stop which has a chest full of cookies. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 13:56, 2 September 2025
 The canal as it reached 100k in August 2017. | |
| Direction | +Z (Southern) |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1 million blocks |
The Southern Canal is the waterway on 2b2t that runs along the +Z axis (South) as one of the main Overworld highways. Construction began in December 2014, and as of March 2025, the canal stretches for over 1 million blocks. It has been extended and maintained by many players throughout its history, with dedicated building groups such as South Canal Corp, the SCA, and the WaterWay Union being focused on its construction.
The canal cuts through hills, mountains, and all other natural terrain down to the water surface at Y:63. Player-built structures such as milestones, rest stops, farms, signboards, and pixel art are commonly seen dotted along the sides of the canal.
Events
December 2014 - Canal created
August 9, 2017 - 100k milestone
August 19, 2017 - Battle of the Southern Canal
September 2021 - 300k milestone
May 2022 - 320k milestone
October 4, 2022 - 400k milestone
November 2022 - 500K milestone
January 21, 2023 - Canal is paved over
January 23, 2023 - SCA dissolves and the WaterWay Union is formed
July 23, 2023 - 550k Milestone
March 21, 2025 - 1 Million Milestone
History
The Beginning
The canal was founded by ThebesAndSound in December 2014. Thebes arrived on the axis after gathering supplies and started creating canal around 26.5k with the original intention to build northwards and eventually finish at spawn. Over the span of four months Thebes built the original section between 21.5k and 26.5k, 5,000 blocks long.
In March 2015, Thebes contacted ChadDX, who was known at the time for building infrastructure at spawn. Thebes gave Chad full ownership of how the spawn end of the canal should look and where it should be, so it could be integrated into Chad's vision for spawn. Chad decided it should start at 1200z, on the outermost ring of the three spawn ring roads he had built (400, 800, and 1200).
Work was done by ChadDX, joshYarnspinner, Dic and rainyafternoon to complete the start of the canal at 1200, the build created was named the South Axis Boat Terminal. A short section of the canal was made here from stone brick leading south away from the terminal. Upon hearing of the work happening at the spawn end, Thebes travelled to 1200 to meet these players and join them in building the canal southwards from there. This group of players eventually became known as the South Canal Corp.
Upgrades
The canal saw big changes during the 1.9 Minecraft update. During the update, boats received optimizations that made traveling by boat much easier and smoother and so allowed players to travel at speed on the canal. With the 1.9 update, the Frost Walker enchantment became a problem as players would freeze large sections until Hausemaster re-enabled ice melting during The Rusher War, where the Southern Canal saw significant damage.
During the Rusher War, the Southern Canal was a large hub for Rushers as they would use it to escape Spawn, as the use of boats reduced hunger less than sprinting. Rushers, along with griefers, caused damage to several buildings along the canal. The two terminals at the start and end of the canals were both griefed during the war.
The top block of the canal walls were fully replaced by obsidian in July 2017.
100k And Higher
On August 9, 2017, the Southern Canal reached the 100k milestone. This milestone being announced resulted in the vast majority of the canal to be drained of water using slimestone machines and withered by griefers. A group of volunteers came to the canal and helped South Canal Corp to repair and upgrade the canal, making most of its walls and floor out of obsidian, and adding barriers to counter the use of slimestone machinery. There were numerous PvP encounters in the first days of the repair, including an ambush by jared2013 and other SpawnMasons on August 19, 2017. Later on, the griefers lost interest in destroying the canal and the repair team continued to fully repair and upgrade the canal back to 100k.
On January 17, 2020, a rare server crash corrupted, cloned, and reset some chunks at the Southern Canal. Somewhere in 2020, griefers like 0Neb and Mad_King_Lambo started drying parts of the Southern Canal that caused the canal up to 32k to become larger and wider to stop sponges from soaking up the water. The majority of the canal is still filled with water.
The SCA and South Canal Corp
As of May 2022, the South Canal Corp is inactive but ThebesAndSound expressed interest in continuing operations.
After a 320k block milestone, xForgeW, Andida, and NinjaSir created The SCA (Southern Canal Association) and expanded the canal to over 500k.
The Fifth Column built a cargo ship (modeled after the The Ever Given, a cargo container ship that was stuck in the real Suez Canal in 2021) and filled it with elder guardians.
The SCA reached 500K in November 2022.
The Battle of the Suez
During The Fifth Column's blockade of the main canal, the SCA (collaborating with Donfuer) would build a parallel canal, branching out from the main canal at Z: 483.000, attempting to reach the 500,000 mark without Fifth Column realizing. Fifth Column realized this, causing a lot of PvP and sabotage attempts on the parallel canal. The parallel canal did not finish construction during the Fifth Column attack, but rather in January of 2023. The SCA would finally remove The Fifth Column's cargo ship in December 2022.
Raptr / Southern Highway Association
WaterWay Union
After the paving of the Southern Canal, there was massive turmoil within SCA, and the group dissolved. ThebesAndSound worked with Godroster to establish the WaterWay Union with many of the active members of SCA. This group worked to remove the obsidian paving on the canal, expand it to be two chunks wide, and add many anti-griefing measures to ensure the Canal remained. They saw much success, and despite some setbacks, the group persisted in their goal of expanding and upgrading the canal.
On July 23rd, 2023, the group reached the 550k mark on the canal, and a milestone was constructed there by Max1mumChr1s and Phosph0lipid called "The Halo"
As of March 24th, 2025, the WaterWay Union officially expanded the canal past 1,000,000 blocks in the overworld. This makes the canal the second overworld “highway” to pass this distance.
This group continues to work on the Canal to this day.
Trivia
- According to Fit, the canal is the longest made canal in Minecraft history. Whether this is true or not is uncertain. However, from a survival perspective, this has a high chance of being true.
- A slimestone bomber was used to dig the canal from ~33,000 to ~56,000.
- The canal has had 2 long term southernmost ends, one at 26.5k where it began and another at 56.6k where it meets the Great Southern Ocean that expands to 100k.
- There is a canal that heads northwards from the southern world border for about 1,000 blocks.
- The canal largely replaced an older road consisting of tunnels and wood plank walkways.
- At 72k, the canal's water level drops a block, from Y:64 to Y:63. This was due to terrain generated in Beta 1.8 and beyond having a lower sea level than that of older terrain. From there on the canal is only two blocks deep.
- At spawn every 1,000 blocks there is a Godroster rest stop which has a chest full of cookies.