How to find other biomes?

[Amanoob105]

From what I could gather from older post I needed to set the receiver to a story island of the right biome type. Balboa island in this case, I could use more birch and pinetree seeds and a lot more bees.
Set the raft to follow the wind, which is easy enough with the wheel and sails.
After which they should start showing up, sooner or later.

And all I can seem to come across is more tropical. Seems a safe bet I'm missing something so can anyone point out what it is?
Does the receiver have to be on 24/7 for me to find what I want?

[westrud]

No, as long as it is set to Balboa they should start showing up. I have noticed with Balboa the special islands seem to spawn more often closer to Balboa itself, so when you see Balboa spawn maybe turn your sail towards it and see if you see some of the special islands.
I would try to check big islands closest to the story island, I think those will most likely be the special islands your after.

[floydvictor007]

Set your receiver to Balboa and follow the indicated blue dot on your radar. Try to get within sight range of any big islands you see on the way to see if you're in the right biome.

[Amanoob105]

Originally posted by westrud:

No, as long as it is set to Balboa they should start showing up. I have noticed with Balboa the special islands seem to spawn more often closer to Balboa itself, so when you see Balboa spawn maybe turn your sail towards it and see if you see some of the special islands.
I would try to check big islands closest to the story island, I think those will most likely be the special islands your after.

This seems to have done the trick.

[KtX2SkD]

You'd have to either set the receiver to Balboa, or search around Balboa, not sure which.

If it's the second, you'd already be doing the first to begin with. Problem is Balboa is behind you so maybe some of such islands are even more behind Balboa.

Consider doing a search pattern like this, with Balboa being the center:

https://divebetter.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/squarespiral.jpg

I know I've had my fair share of meeting Balboa-like islands without seeking them. I think story site Varuna for some reason is treated like Balboa in terms of island spawn type, and since it doesn't spawn behind us and I've probably left it set on the receiver for long periods, it caused me to meet said islands without trying. Sooo, if you reached Varuna, try that?

[galadon3]

Did some testing on the balboa like islands and they seem to only spawn if you go against the wind (like you need to reach balboa itself).
(and yes the receiver needs to be set for balboa)

[KtX2SkD]

Originally posted by galadon3:

Did some testing on the balboa like islands and they seem to only spawn if you go against the wind (like you need to reach balboa itself).
(and yes the receiver needs to be set for balboa)

Well, anything that exists along the wind relative to Balboa has probably spawned before Balboa, so it won't have its biome influenced by Balboa.

Exception being if you go against the wind and past Balboa so far that Balboa is on the verge of despawning, but then stop going further. By that point all islands north (towards the rising sun) of Balboa has despawning and returning back there will allow it all to spawn again, hopefully now getting their biomes influenced by the existing Balboa.

But when this will ever be worth it anyways, considering that sailing that far south already makes us reach Balboa as well as southern Balboa-like islands, which will probably have enough of the desired resources to begin with.