Advice needed for moving to Hawaii

[DebbyDiver]

Holy cow, out of the blue we have a possible opportunity to relocate to Hawaii in the next year-ish!!!!!

Looking for any and all advice from those who live there, or who have lived there. Although my partner would be based out of Honolulu, we could actually live anywhere...looking to hear where it's cool to live and dive, and why.

I lived in Southeast Florida for about 30 years and now live on St. Croix, USVI with my partner who has lived here since 1978. This means that we are used to warm water diving year 'round. We both love kayak diving and lobstering, and he loves spearfishing.

This is such sudden and cool news that we don't even have questions yet!!! Any input for us?

[robint]

I hate you...

[ScubaSteve]

I hate you...

I suspect this will be a recurring theme . Congrats on the possible relocate Debby.

[knotical]

Many aspects of Hawaiʻi vary dramatically depending on where you live. From cosmopolitan, expensive, crowded downtown Honolulu on Oʻahu to rural areas on most islands. You might want to start by deciding what’s important to you.
Do you want roomy affordable housing? – better go rural.
Do you want low crime? easy shopping? good schools? good transportation? – best to do research as these exist on most islands, but not everywhere within them.
For schools, consider looking at schooldigger.com
The internet is your friend.

My wife and I recently moved to Hawaiʻi for her job and lucked into an excellent match for us. We’re in a relatively rural area called Kaʻu on the south end of the big island of Hawaiʻi. Great for us, but definitely not a match for everybody. For example, in order to fly to Oahu, which my wife does frequently for her job, it’s an hour and a half to either airport (Hilo or Kona). Hilo and Kona are also where the main shopping areas are on the big island, so being 90 minutes away is both good and bad.

I will say this: the worst part of Hawaii we’ve found so far is still pretty great. And by the way, great diving is available on all islands.

Best wishes, and hope you enjoy.

[DebbyDiver]

Oooh thanks, good advice!

We currently live in America's Third World here on St. Croix. Crumbling infrastructure, horrific cost of living, high unemployment, terrible roads that are tearing my car apart. Great diving. 1200 mile flight to civilization. Anything either comes by slow boat or costs a fortune by jet. So, we're used to the remoteness. We live in a big old very private house right now. Having a little land around us is much more important than shopping.

We are DINKS (double income no kids) who took retirement ten years early, so we not only have working incomes but also receive pensions. Still, looking at HI cost of living, it seems no higher than STX.

If he accepts the offer, my partner would be flying to his job in Honolulu where he would work for 30 days then be home for 30 days. He can actually take this job if we stay right here in the USVI, just flying one way or the other every 30 days, but Hawaii looks interesting and we are strongly considering it, and looking to hear from people who live there, or who have lived there. I loved reading your experience with your own relocation.

[knotical]

Not to sound too much like a shill, but the big island is wonderful! My prior experience with Hawaiʻi was mostly on Oʻahu, from Honolulu to Waiʻanae. The island of Hawaiʻi is definitely friendlier, lower crime, less populated.

Shopping is almost certainly better/cheaper than St. Croix. There’s even a Costco in Kona.

I have also lived remote (Seychelles for six years), and this doesn’t feel remote. There’s even a university in Hilo.

Compared to Colorado from where we just moved, food except for some local items, is rather more expensive. Electricity is almost triple (but we use less of it). Some areas use catchment water.

Minuses of the big island
- The round-the-island road is one lane each direction most of the way, so you’ll often get to follow a slow car for miles on end. And we’ve hit some pretty bad congestion in the Kona area a couple of times. But relaxing and enjoying the scenery helps.
- If you’re paranoid about volcanoes and attendant earthquakes, the big island, or at least the southern end isn’t the best place for you.
- Some costs (mentioned above)
- That’s it.

[DebbyDiver]

A COSTCO!!!!! Be still, my beating heart!

Was definitely interested in being within driving distance from Kona for the diving.

What do you think is the best island for diving? We love to kayak dive from the beach; where can we do that? And my partner is an avid, but conservationist, spearo.

[knotical]

What do you think is the best island for diving? We love to kayak dive from the beach; where can we do that? And my partner is an avid, but conservationist, spearo.

I'm definitely too new / inexperienced to answer these questions, but the sun should be coming up here shortly, so the regulars on this forum will be waking up. btw, 'ohana means family, and the folks in this regional forum do seem that friendly.

[friscuba]

The "best" diving is relative. I was talking to someone who was doing coral research here and was involved with some NOAA studies the other day and they mentioned that the Big Island has roughly half of the coral in the State, the bulk of it being on the Kona side. Kona has generally clear water due to lack of rivers/streams/runoff and is someaat shaded from northwest swells by the other islands so it typically has lots of diveable days. It does lack in wrecks and other manmade items. I know Kona best and have a lean towards there, but if I were moving here and diving was the main thing, I'd look at the Kona side of the island or Maui. Either are pretty good for diving, choosing between them for living would be a matter of which you prefer topside. Oahua nd the other smaller isalnds have their draws as well. I think you're due for an extended vacation if you want to choose best.

[DebbyDiver]

Thanks! We are not into wreck diving per se, we prefer reefs. A dear friend drives a liveaboard in that area and I figured it had to be decent to keep a liveaboard profitable. Unfortunately it's real hard to contact him so I'm here asking questions and getting great answers!!!

Yes, we would definitely take an extended vacation, and, we wouldn't do this right away. If he accepts the position, he'd start early May and I'd want him to work for several months before he saw if he liked the job enough to make the move. We're just so excited and what we discover about HI will influence whether he accepts this position.