Advice needed for moving to Hawaii

[Thalassamania]

We are at 2,980 feet in a well insulated house. We have ceiling fans that we never run, no heat, no A/ C. The outside temp runs from a rare 55 to a rare 90, being between 62 and 78 most of the time. Indoor temp goes and down about two degrees centered on 70. No clothes dryer, clothes line ... clothes dry in a couple of hours.

[DebbyDiver]

Divebum, no heaters needed suits us just fine. My partner wants to get some elevation; perhaps we will find a nice home to rent at a level where we need neither heat nor a/c.

The volcanic smog sounds pretty awful...thank you for pointing that out. Are there areas of the island that are nice for living that don't experience that effect?

[DebbyDiver]

Thass, 62 to 78 actually seems chilly to us and I'm not being a smart aleck. Both of us get cold really easily. Perhaps we'd be happier at a slightly lower elevation.

[friscuba]

You might want to look at about 300-600 feet. Make sure your home has an unimpeded view of the ocean and you should get enough breeze to open windows and doors and get by with ceiling fans. We live at 900' sown south, when it gets very cold we can hit 62 in the am and 74/75 in the afternoon, otherwise it stays 70-78 throughout the day much of the year. At our elevation we're using the ac a few days a year to take the bite off the humidity (which is nothing like it gets in Texas through Florida when it warms up) on occasion. Humidity is generally higher as you go up in elevation as clouds build up during the course of the day. Drop a couple hundred feet and the morning chills and humidity are lessened substantially. At sea level, if you have an open face to the ocean temperature can be regulated quite well by ceiling fans and windows, if you don't have a direct view of the ocean ac will likely be needed.

A comment from a couple pages back.. you mentioned ferries, there really aren't any between islands.

[DebbyDiver]

You might want to look at about 300-600 feet. Make sure your home has an unimpeded view of the ocean and you should get enough breeze to open windows and doors and get by with ceiling fans. We live at 900' sown south, when it gets very cold we can hit 62 in the am and 74/75 in the afternoon, otherwise it stays 70-78 throughout the day much of the year. At our elevation we're using the ac a few days a year to take the bite off the humidity (which is nothing like it gets in Texas through Florida when it warms up) on occasion. Humidity is generally higher as you go up in elevation as clouds build up during the course of the day. Drop a couple hundred feet and the morning chills and humidity are lessened substantially. At sea level, if you have an open face to the ocean temperature can be regulatede quite well by ceiling fans and windows, if you don't have a direct view of the ocean ac will likely be needed.

This is very important information; thank you!

A comment from a couple pages back.. you mentioned ferries, there really aren't any between islands.

Thanks for letting me know. Not a problem, just something we have here so I assumed you may have them.

[Tom Winters]

I lived on Oahu for 22 years. That was enough - I did everything that I had to do there, buried everyone who needed burial, and then moved on. I didn't want to live on one of the other islands - they work for others, just not me. I'm all done there and most likely never going back, unless I can't get out of it.
Now I'm in Boca Raton. I like it here. A ---> lot! After this plays out, I'm thinking of either Dubai or Istanbul, or curiously enough, Whidbey Island.
That said, I would not, in a million years, live on St.Croix. I'm sure that it works for a lot of people, just not me.
DebbywithaY, you'll like Hawaii and whatever island you wind up on.

[DebbyDiver]

Tom, thanks so much, you always bring a unique perspective to life.

[vinegarbiscuit]

We lived quite happily without AC. It got a bit much only for a few days of the year, like on days when the trade winds died. But it never lasted long. We would take meals outside to escape from the heat and sleep with a fan...it was enough.

There is no natural gas access on any island apart from Oahu, and even so, service is limited to the Waikiki area. The Gas Company has a pipeline that carries synthetic gas (derived from oil-all imported and consequently very expensive) to the city, as hotels and other places insist on gas for their kitchens. But that's pretty much it.

Propane was easily obtained on Oahu, but since there's not exactly a lot of competition among industrial gas suppers within the state (and again-the need to import propane is a huge factor), it's not cheap. But since life in the USVI would have made you familiar with the need for imports and the attendant high costs, I doubt you will be surprised about living costs and considerations on HI.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[acooper]

Debbie,

If the decision does come to Kona you might try looking up the coast a ways north. We live in Waikoloa, altitude about 1kft, no heat or AC in the house, temp controlled by opening and closing up. It does get a bit hot and muggy in the late summer and early fall when a small AC can be useful in the afternoon. We are directly up the hill from some of the best diving in the islands, the Puako reefs, about 15-20min away. Another benefit to the area is that we seldom get the vog like Kailua does, far enough north that the trade-winds keep us clear most of the year.

25min to the Kona airport, the same for the Costco on the hill above the airport. Another 5-10 minutes to most of downtown Kailua-Kona and many more shopping options. Current price of gas about $4.36. Traffic? Not worth mentioning.

I would suggest Waikoloa if you like it warmer or Waimea if you want a bit cooler, where you need a heater for a few cool days in winter. House prices and rents are still depressed from the downturn, not a bad time to move in. Some condos going really cheap in the area if you like that option.

With the resorts just below us on the coast we have a lot of good dining and entertianment options. Waimea, just up the hill has a great theater that brings in big names. Monthly lectures offered by Keck Observatory if you want to learn where state of the art astronomy is headed. Likewise monthly lectures by the UofH SeaGrant program on marine subjects. A decent hospital in Waimea for any health issues.

Good luck wherever you end up!

[friscuba]

Of of the nice things about the Big Island is the climate changes every time you change direction or elevation. Andrew points out Waikaloa, which I presonally think of as a windy version of parts of Arizona, and Waimea, which reminds me of parts of Wyoming, and they're maybe 15-20 minutes apart. Both are completely different from Kailua, which is different from Captain Cook, etc. You could explore here for quite a while and find the spot for your tastes.