OUTDATED If you have the Bon voyage Expansion , you don’t need it.

I decided to write this tutorial because in the beginning i had problems creating swimmable lakes myself but after playtesting i have found and use a method that is really safe and the sims will actually stay in the lake and won’t swim all over the lot.Very easy to do , all you need is custom terrains.Let’s start and pay attention!

Start by picking a place at the back of your lot and using the small lower terrain tool click EXACTLY 6 times. (The size of the lake is up to you the same method goes but it is important that the lake is extended from one side to the other in horizontally or even vertically because we want one part of the lake to be at the edges of the lot so we can ensure safe enclosing of our sims )

Then using the level terrain tool drag to level this area

and again drag to level here

and here

Now it looks like that and all you have to do is paint with terrains of your liking, water/rock/pebble/sand whatever you think it’s appropriate for your lot.Do NOT use the smooth terrain tool here cause smoothing the edges would enable the sims go through them.By painting this flat hole will look like a real lake/river/pond you name it!

Start by using the medium terrain tool to apply water

Some rock ( it looks ugly now but in the end it will look better, using terrains is like painting a canvas, use your imagination)

I have applied dirt and moss

A note:As we lowered by 6 clicks the ground this part at the edge of the lot can’t be painted good enough unless we raise the last set of tiles by 2 clicks to look better and not very flat.

Starting from here do this for all the tiles only at the edge of the lot in the back

I am almost done.

And now i can use the water terrain to paint appropriately

Now let’s add a 3×2 column deck foundation as shown here

Done.The deck can be any size and shape you want to ,as long as you ensure that it  is placed at least one tile inside the lake and not in corners .

Add stairs and use the moveObjects on cheat to place the ladder and diving board.

To ensure that our lake is even more safe add plants at any edge that it is slopped like in the picture.

Done.Only thing left is to test it.Sims will go through the ladder sometimes when diving but that’s no biggie and not causing problems.The important part is that our sims won’t escape the lake and swim all over the lot and this is a very safe method for succeeding this and has always worked for me.

They can climb out , dive in and after play-testing they won’t leave the lake.Success!See the other sim he is at the edge of the rock and can’t go out, our lake is working like it should!And of course they gain bodyskills and raise fun like in the pool.

Have fun creating your own safe and glitch-free swimmable lake!

I have used this method in my houses prior the Bon Voyage expansion many times .

Here are some of my lots that i have created a swimmable sea for.You can view them for landscaping inspiration or try them in game to see how a swimmable sea works.

• Villa Myconos
• White Illusion
• Simply coastal
• The lightkeeper
• Summer breeze villa