Would You Move Just So You Could Dive?

[ASA400]

When I was in my 30s, unmarried and without debt, I moved to Guam to dive. I was fortunate to be asked to come and be photo chief at the Pacific Daily News and jumped at the chance. The diving was really great, but, sadly, the newspaper wasn't. That coupled with the cost of living and making much less than I was in Los Angeles compelled me to return to the States after a short time. I look at it as a long vacation in which I had to work a little. I wouldn't trade the time in Guam for anything! While there, I got the chance to dive Chuuk, Palau and the island of Saipan, which I truly believe has the clearest water in the entire world!

 

[Lopez116]

Yes, if I could find work in my profession as a Quality Engineer. I would relocate at a moment's notice.

Same here. Well, not engineer, but you know what I mean!

I DON'T move so I can dive. RI is the Ocean state after all. I'm 1/2 hour from the ocean.

I'm 15 min from Laguna Beach, a Southern California shore diving Mecca. It's nice, but it's not the tropics. Calle spoiled or ungrateful, but it's not my favorite type of diving. I know plenty of people who love diving this environment over all others...that's just not me.

I'm grateful for what I have, but I'd love to be somewhere with great diving. I don't of course because 1) great salary and cost of living in Texas 2) kids have 10 years of school left 3) wife doesn't want to move.

One day I hope.

COL in SoCal is ridiculously high. We have lots of crime, gangs, a bankrupt state, and pot is now legal. I am 30 and have no kids, but I'm not so sure raising a family here is the greatest idea.

I moved from Virginia to Hawaii partly because of the diving. The job opportunity was in Hawaii, but the cost of living is much higher. I left most of my family back there.

In my five year plan, that's kind of the situation I think I'll be faced with...

That is a tough one... I would think of purchasing a house somewhere we love to dive, but only LIVE there about 1/2 the year.
I have so many other activities that I do here, like hiking in the mountains weekly, I am within 7 hours of the Grand Canyon, Utah parks, and then there is college football games which I attend like religion in fall.

If you've got other hobbies that are equally as fulfilling, I think the decision would be much tougher. Thankfully (or unfortunately-depending on your POV) I don't have that problem!

Once my kids are all out of the house (6 years 'til the last one gone), my husband & I would relocate if it's financially possible. I've joked that I wouldn't care if I had to sell coconuts on the side of the road to earn money, I'd do it just to be able to dive every day!

My wife and I have agreed that's where we'll end up. We'd like to get there sooner rather than later, though, God willing.

I didn't relocate to the tropical ocean to dive. But I did relocate to be near the tropical ocean and I started diving after a number of years. Luckily at a young age I got into aquaculture and quickly realized that working in that field would keep me in the tropics near clean water. I was hoping water with good surf but you can't have everything. Surfing morphed into diving and then free dive spearfishing.
It is hard on families though. Life is like a boat.....Everything is give and take.

True, I think part of the journey is figuring out what's really important to you (what's worth giving and what's crucial to take).



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---------- Post added August 7th, 2013 at 06:53 PM ----------

When I was in my 30s, unmarried and without debt, I moved to Guam to dive. I was fortunate to be asked to come and be photo chief at the Pacific Daily News and jumped at the chance. The diving was really great, but, sadly, the newspaper wasn't. That coupled with the cost of living and making much less than I was in Los Angeles compelled me to return to the States after a short time. I look at it as a long vacation in which I had to work a little. I wouldn't trade the time in Guam for anything! While there, I got the chance to dive Chuuk, Palau and the island of Saipan, which I truly believe has the clearest water in the entire world!

That's awesome. Sounds like a great experience.




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[Damselfish]

I wouldn't move just for diving. But if I were going to move anyway to a random place I'd take the diving into consideration. Or at least proximity to a good airport.

 

[Connorc]

Yes. I am moving to a tropical island for the diving and for a change. Just hoping to find a job first.

 

[drbill]

I moved to Catalina from Boston for a job that involved not only diving but teaching marine biology. I only planned to stay here for a year, save some money and heads back to Greece. That was 44 years ago. My point: I HAVEN'T moved because of diving!

 

[jodylynn007]

This is an interesting thread!

I live in Western Canada where there is some of the best cold water diving in the world. I met my boyfriend over a year ago in Cozumel on a SB Invasion trip (he is an engineer BTW lol).

He is planning on moving from TX after finding a job up here... and I think that while I may be 51% of the reason for his plan to move, 49% of that is the diving here. Well, I guess a few % should be allocated for the wonderful mountain roads we can ride our motorcycles also.

Anyhow, time will tell though... if the move happens!!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I selected my job so I can travel on the companies tab and dives lots of different places. I remain in Texas for now, nothing like getting paid California wages and living in a low cost / low tax state. When I retire though it will be bye bye and I will relocate to better diving, probably Florida.

 

[Lopez116]

I selected my job so I can travel on the companies tab and dives lots of different places. I remain in Texas for now, nothing like getting paid California wages and living in a low cost / low tax state. When I retire though it will be bye bye and I will relocate to better diving, probably Florida.

That sounds like a good plan


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[TheOctoLady]

YES I would.... AND I DID!!! From Portland Oregon to sunny California in May!!!!

 

[mathauck0814]

I'm curious as to what others think and/or may have done...would you move to a location just so you could dive where you want to dive? What would your limits be? Would you re-locate your job and family? Would you change careers altogether? Take a pay cut? Leave some of the so-called "finer things" in life behind??


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We were in this situation a few years ago. Living full time in Vermont ~3 hours to the coast in Maine for mediocre (at best) diving and wanting to be someplace we could more fully explore our goals. Luckily my job is such that I can live anywhere in the world so long as there's access to an airport. We picked southern California (which to my mind has some absolutely world class diving) and now split our time about 80/20 in favor of CA.

Life is good.