[syncFisee]

Well, after 3 1/2 years in the great state of Washington I have received word from my detailer that I finally get to transfer!! I am beyond excited. So when transferring in the Coast Guard you have to submit a "dream sheet." For the most part you end up somewhere that you wanted to go. The detailer looks at your priority rating, experience, and how well you know your job.

The good news: Well......I convinced my lovely pregnant wife to go back to the South East. Even though being home in California for our first child would of been nice, we both love the warm weather and an assortment of beaches.

Now, the main thing I look at when transferring is GOLF courses. Price, condition, and locality of the courses. The guys I work with laugh histerically at how I choose where I want to work. So as of right now, most of my picks are in Florida. They are Pensacola, St. Pete, Miami Beach, and Cape Canavoral. Iam also looking at Chatanooga, TN and Charleston, SC.

I know alot of the THP members are in the South Eastern part of the U.S.A. So this is where I need help!! Please help sway my decision. All the jobs available for me are all great jobs, so now I just need to figure out where I need to live and where's the best GOLF.

So, help me out THP!!!

[Xlkl9SFd]

There are some great choices on that list. I would definitely take Pensacola away though. That is tough area for many people. St Pete can be really good, depending on location, as can the Cape. We love Charleston, but did not care for Chatanooga. Miami is another very big city and depending on where you are, can be great or very tough.

[syncFisee]

There are some great choices on that list. I would definitely take Pensacola away though. That is tough area for many people. St Pete can be really good, depending on location, as can the Cape. We love Charleston, but did not care for Chatanooga. Miami is another very big city and depending on where you are, can be great or very tough.

Thanks JB, we were kind of thinking about the Miami area, just because we can live in North Lauderdale or Pembrook Pines area. Plus the Plantation Golf course is one of my favorites. I have heard good stuff about the Cape, but don't know anything about the golf courses there. I wasn't to sure about Pensacola, when I worked in Mobile we would spend weekends in Pensacola at the beach. Charleston is always a favorite, but my wife is a school teacher and right now there are MANY teaching jobs available throughout all of Florida. So we're kind of leading towards Florida.

[Xlkl9SFd]

There are a lot of teaching jobs in FL. Make SURE you research schools in the area, some are tough. As for S. FL. That is GG's stomping grounds. Lived there her whole life and can definitely help.

[syncFisee]

There are a lot of teaching jobs in FL. Make SURE you research schools in the area, some are tough. As for S. FL. That is GG's stomping grounds. Lived there her whole life and can definitely help.

Thanks again, the Wife is definitely doing he research. Well hopefully GG can shed some of her know how on S. Florida for me!

[mymnarorump]

USCGMK,

I know Keyport well, lived in the Seattle area for 13 years. Have boated past Keyport on our way into Liberty bay to anchor for a night or 2 many a time! Great fireworks on the 3rd of July in Liberty bay and I still can't find a pastry shop in Pittsburgh as good as the one on Main street in Poulsbo!

Of all the locations you mentioned my pick would be Charleston, SC. Less chance for Hurricane's and absolutely beautiful area with good golf. I would live in Mt. Pleasant, many choices of plan there almost all with Golf courses. Dunes West, Park West, Brickyard etc..and all have good schools. You would also be only about 3 miles from Isle of Palms beach, 20 minutes from Downtown Charleston and only 1 hour or so from Myrtle Beach. What more could you ask for!

PS.. Stay away from North Charleston. If you want an actual Charleston zip code look at the homes in West Ashley, lots of new development there.

Good luck!

[syncFisee]

USCGMK,

I know Keyport well, lived in the Seattle area for 13 years. Have boated past Keyport on our way into Liberty bay to anchor for a night or 2 many a time! Great fireworks on the 3rd of July in Liberty bay and I still can't find a pastry shop in Pittsburgh as good as the one on Main street in Poulsbo!

Of all the locations you mentioned my pick would be Charleston, SC. Less chance for Hurricane's and absolutely beautiful area with good golf. I would live in Mt. Pleasant, many choices of plan there almost all with Golf courses. Dunes West, Park West, Brickyard etc..and all have good schools. You would also be only about 3 miles from Isle of Palms beach, 20 minutes from Downtown Charleston and only 1 hour or so from Myrtle Beach. What more could you ask for!

PS.. Stay away from North Charleston. If you want an actual Charleston zip code look at the homes in West Ashley, lots of new development there.

Good luck!

Thanks Condorll. Keyport is a great little town that knowone knows of, and the July 3rd fireworks show is amazing.

Charleston, SC. Fantastic place and a ton of fun. It's definitely top 5. The boat I would be on is in North Charleston, but I can basically live anywhere. Being an hour away from Myrtle beach would be awesome and bad on the checkbook.....hehe. Thanks for the input. It does really help, especially since housing is an important factor in all of this. But golf is top priority...hehe

[Xlkl9SFd]

USCGMK,

I know Keyport well, lived in the Seattle area for 13 years. Have boated past Keyport on our way into Liberty bay to anchor for a night or 2 many a time! Great fireworks on the 3rd of July in Liberty bay and I still can't find a pastry shop in Pittsburgh as good as the one on Main street in Poulsbo!

Of all the locations you mentioned my pick would be Charleston, SC. Less chance for Hurricane's and absolutely beautiful area with good golf. I would live in Mt. Pleasant, many choices of plan there almost all with Golf courses. Dunes West, Park West, Brickyard etc..and all have good schools. You would also be only about 3 miles from Isle of Palms beach, 20 minutes from Downtown Charleston and only 1 hour or so from Myrtle Beach. What more could you ask for!

PS.. Stay away from North Charleston. If you want an actual Charleston zip code look at the homes in West Ashley, lots of new development there.

Good luck!

Just so some understand the hurricane thing. St Pete has not been hit by a hurricane in DECADES. Heck some areas of Pinellas County and Tampa have not even been touched for close to 100 years. People here FL they think hurricanes, but the truth is, that most here never even think about it.

[DeronBoltonRen]

Just so some understand the hurricane thing. St Pete has not been hit by a hurricane in DECADES. Heck some areas of Pinellas County and Tampa have not even been touched for close to 100 years. People here FL they think hurricanes, but the truth is, that most here never even think about it.

+1... I was also a part of this thinking previous to moving here and now it's really just an awareness thing. SFLA I think is more susceptible anyways (just due to geography). Most of the storms we've been getting are just about as bad as some of the Nor'easters we use to get in Jersey.

Out of curiosity, where in the Cape have you narrowed your search, uscgmk?

[Sheefeadalfuh]

Chattanooga is actually a nicer area than most people think. I enjoy it a good bit more than my previous two locale's: Mobile, AL and Augusta, GA. It is definitely a different choice than the others though. You will get four seasons here although winter isn't bad. This area is in the foothills of the mountains, so the terrain is all ridges and valleys, but if you have interest in outdoor activities (hiking, camping, rafting, etc) there is plenty of things close-by.

From a golf standpoint, I'll be honest, the area is weak for one of this size. Most of the quality courses here are private. The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay is a decent Jack Nicklaus Signature course on the banks of the lake, Eagle Bluff is an ok, mountain style course, but the other public courses (I haven't played them all) are mostly muni quality.

The nice thing about this area to me is the fact that you can be many different places quickly depending on what you want for that weekend. It is less than two hours down to Atlanta if you want the big city. You can be in the mountains in an hour or two. Knoxville is 90 miles, Nashville is not much further. There's a decent lake just north of town. However, with all that said, Chattanooga is big enough you don't have to leave town to find something to do. Downtown (particularly toward the river) is actually a regional tourist destination with many restaurants and bars. It has been revitalized through the years and is quite nice now. The North Shore (just across the river from downtown) is the trendiest area and has smaller, quirkier dining and shopping. The areas east of I-75 are more like the suburbs with the main Shopping Mall and chain restaurants.

Hope this helps...good luck in your transfer.

[syncFisee]

+1... I was also a part of this thinking previous to moving here and now it's really just an awareness thing. SFLA I think is more susceptible anyways (just due to geography). Most of the storms we've been getting are just about as bad as some of the Nor'easters we use to get in Jersey.

+2 I know about the hurricane myth as well. I was stationed in Mobile, AL before Washington and never had any issues.

+Out of curiosity, where in the Cape have you narrowed your search, uscgmk?

The boat is located in Port Canaveral, so I can live wherever I want, that's up to the wife to decide. I know there is the Cocoa, Rockledge, and Sharpes area. What do you suggest??

[syncFisee]

Chattanooga is actually a nicer area than most people think. I enjoy it a good bit more than my previous two locale's: Mobile, AL and Augusta, GA. It is definitely a different choice than the others though. You will get four seasons here although winter isn't bad. This area is in the foothills of the mountains, so the terrain is all ridges and valleys, but if you have interest in outdoor activities (hiking, camping, rafting, etc) there is plenty of things close-by.

From a golf standpoint, I'll be honest, the area is weak for one of this size. Most of the quality courses here are private. The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay is a decent Jack Nicklaus Signature course on the banks of the lake, Eagle Bluff is an ok, mountain style course, but the other public courses (I haven't played them all) are mostly muni quality.

The nice thing about this area to me is the fact that you can be many different places quickly depending on what you want for that weekend. It is less than two hours down to Atlanta if you want the big city. You can be in the mountains in an hour or two. Knoxville is 90 miles, Nashville is not much further. There's a decent lake just north of town. However, with all that said, Chattanooga is big enough you don't have to leave town to find something to do. Downtown (particularly toward the river) is actually a regional tourist destination with many restaurants and bars. It has been revitalized through the years and is quite nice now. The North Shore (just across the river from downtown) is the trendiest area and has smaller, quirkier dining and shopping. The areas east of I-75 are more like the suburbs with the main Shopping Mall and chain restaurants.

Hope this helps...good luck in your transfer.

I was stationed in Mobile before Washington, I was glad to get out of there. That place can bring you down quick, that being said, I would go back there if I had too!
When I googled Chattanooga I did not see that many courses, that was my main issue there. I will probably try to see if I can get an annual membership to play unlimited golf when I'm there. Do any of the courses offer that? I know there's plenty to do, but once again golf is my main objective...hehe! Do you know what the housing cost is like? I'll be renting just because I think it is not smart to buy when you're in the military especially in this economy!

[Sheefeadalfuh]

I was stationed in Mobile before Washington, I was glad to get out of there. That place can bring you down quick, that being said, I would go back there if I had too!
When I googled Chattanooga I did not see that many courses, that was my main issue there. I will probably try to see if I can get an annual membership to play unlimited golf when I'm there. Do any of the courses offer that? I know there's plenty to do, but once again golf is my main objective...hehe! Do you know what the housing cost is like? I'll be renting just because I think it is not smart to buy when you're in the military especially in this economy!

I haven't looked at memberships closely, but I do think most of the public courses offer them. Housing costs are probably similar to Mobile (much lower than Washington state I would assume). The area didn't go through a big housing bubble mainly due to the fact that Volkswagen is nearing completion of a new plant off of I-75 that I believe will directly employ 3000. Not sure exactly what the rental market looks like, but there are nice apartments around and houses as well to keep some of the sale inventory out of the market.

I live about 25 miles up I-75 from Chattanooga, so if you've got any questions let me know and I'll be glad to at least give an opinion.

What part of town is the job in? I may be able to suggest what's nearby.

[DeronBoltonRen]

The boat is located in Port Canaveral, so I can live wherever I want, that's up to the wife to decide. I know there is the Cocoa, Rockledge, and Sharpes area. What do you suggest??

The one up and coming area there is Viera and I know Rockledge is pretty nice as well. There's a few courses there. If you want more insight talk to Osahar as he knows more of Brevard county (where the cape is located). Of course you will also only be about 45 mins to an hour depending on traffic to most of the Orlando courses.

[syncFisee]

Well, I have recieved my orders for transferring this summer.

Originally I talked about wanting to go somewhere South East and warm with lots of golf courses. Well, things changed over the past 6+ months. We found out we were having our first child. We found out that our first child is going to need some medical attention.

So, what I thought would be best for my wife and I will not best for my wife and son Colton. And those two are what matter most! So I had to make a change to my original dream sheet. Need to be around family and friends while I get underway for months at a time. So we will be California bound. Alameda, CA to be exact. Luckily, my wife is from the bay area, so it will make our new home transition that much smoother.

So if there is any THP'ers in the bay area that want to play, I will be down your way in June!

Coast Guard Cutter Stratton: She is currently being built in Pascagoula, MS and will be finished in September. So in August I will fly out that way and start my training on the boat, and YES I will have my golf clubs with me. And maybe if they give us a long weekend I'll rent a car and come check out the festivities at the Morgan Cup! So if there's anyone in the Mississippi and Alabama area let me know if you want to play.

Here's the new boat, all 418 ft. of her.