Tuna Boat Moving South ?? Florida

[tomslik]

screw the gators

[donsrods]

Don, if you talk to 100 people you will get 100 different opinions of how living in Florida is.  Here is MY opinion.

We've lived in Pa, NC, Cal, and now Florida.  No place is perfect, and Florida certainly falls into that catagory.  The good things:

1)  The weather.  I could NEVER go back to the stuff you guys up North get. Today is a iffy day here and it is 75 and sunny.  It is going to warm up tomorrow into the mid-80's, AND THIS IS FEBRUARY!!  

2) Activities:    I love the water too and just retired from the marine industry. You have year round fishing, boating, sailing, swimming, etc with miles and miles of water all around you.

3) Housing:  The bottom has dropped out of the housing market so there are tons of great deals out there right now.  Prices will rise again some day, so you can make some money if you buy now.

4) People:  Generally the people here are very friendly.  Some areas better than others.  Nice part is that EVERYONE is from somewhere else, so it isn't like you will be an outsider.  We are ALL outsiders.  

There are more good things, but those are the top ones.  Here are some not so good things:

1) The weather.  As nice as it is in the winter months, it does get hot and humid here in the Summer months.  But you learn to limit your activities, or if you are a sunworshiper like me, you get a tan.

2)  Job market.  Right now it sucks, and in certain fields it is never good.  I made twice to 3 times the money a year up North that I made in Florida. There is no real manufacturing here, most jobs are in the service type industries.  I know there are lots of people here who make tons of money, but for every one of them there are 10 more making lousy wages.  

3) Overpopulation and crowding:  Guys like me have discovered Florida so it is really getting crowded.  The winter months especially, when the Snow Birds come here for the sun then head home in the Spring.

4)  Hurricanes:  Most people here don't really think about them much.  When I lived in Cal we had earthquakes, midwest has tornados, up North snowstorms, etc.  Every place has Mother Nature to deal with.  

5)  Crime:  I know it is bad all over crimewise, and Florida is no exception.  I used to take long walks with my GF late at night, and I wouldn't dream of doing that now.  My area has changed.

So, bottom line.  You might be one of the people who move here and love it or you might hate it.  A lot depends on what you want out of life and even more important, what your wife or GF wants out of life.  If she hates it here you will hate it too.  My ex-wife fought tooth and nail not to come here, and now she wouldn't leave for anything.  You have to give it a chance.

But if you have a good job lined up half of your problems are solved right there............and you love to sail, so the odds are you would like it here.

Me, I will never leave here either.  

Don