hello!

[Gary Majchrzak]

Some of you might recognize me.
My employer wants to transfer the job I do to the Clearwater area.
I'm considering making the move. It looks like you have a very active reef /aquarium scene.
Could Clearwater possibly be as nice as it appears to be online?

 

[plyle02]

Some of you might recognize me.
My employer wants to transfer the job I do to the Clearwater area.
I'm considering making the move. It looks like you have a very active reef /aquarium scene.
Could Clearwater possibly be as nice as it appears to be online?

Gary,
I have followed your tanks back to the TOTM days early in my reefing experience. You have always been an inspiration, while I don't get to the area nor live there anymore, my daughter does. Welcome to FL, Clearwater is beautiful, good luck should you take the position. There are some real quality stores in Tampa. Best of luck to you!

 

[Postal]

Wooo!!! Another photographer and "anemone guy" in the area!!

The entire Tampa Bay is about as good as it gets (as long as you won't miss seeing the leaves change). My wife is from Northern VA and says she won't ever go back.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

thanks, Perry!

thanks, Perry!

Cool tagline, buddy!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Wooo!!! Another photographer and "anemone guy" in the area!!

The entire Tampa Bay is about as good as it gets (as long as you won't miss seeing the leaves change). My wife is from Northern VA and says she won't ever go back.

Oh man... i always hear these kinds of things.
No negatives ?

 

[tigger2577]

No negatives ?

I live in clearwater and about the only negative thing I have is during snow bird season the traffic picks up but it is manageable.

 

[TURKLET0N]

you are in a great area especially in your line of work and if you like fishy stuff. Welcome to the Tampa Bay Area.

 

[Specfishin]

Clearwater isn't bad at all. Unless your downtown, then its just hustle, bustle and tourists. I believe the west coast is beautiful and there are plenty of places you could live close to clearwater. Research and rent the first 6-12 months. See what ya like. Good luck with your potential move.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

thanks for all of your encouraging input so far!

thanks for all of your encouraging input so far!

So tempting.
Of course, I'd still remain a Sabres and Bills fan if I made the move!

 

[Postal]

Oh man... i always hear these kinds of things.
No negatives ?

The main negative is traffic. The Tampa Bay area is much more spread out than any other cities of comparable size. So if you factor that in with bad rush hour traffic it can be a pain.

Other than that and the summer heat, other negatives are going to be based on personal viewpoints. One other big plus for a lot of people moving here is that the cost of living is still a little low for a city of this size even after the increases of the past decade.

I have spent my entire life on the Tampa side of the bridges, but if I was in Pinellas county, then the Palm Harbor / Safety Harbor areas by Clearwater would be my choice easily.

 

[FloMotion]

^^^this

I would also throw Dunedin in, which is just north of Clearwater, has a great little downtown area.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

great to know!

great to know!

Those recommendations re-affirm what someone else told me

 

[Specfishin]

Of course scientology is an option, room and board included. :wildone:


On a serious note. I drive throughout the tri-county area at all hours of day and night. I have to say there's problem areas with traffic and then you have Us19 which its a breeze now that they've finished the overpasses. I personally would avoid eastlake/mc mullen booth area in oldsmar and palmharbor. Traffic is a nightmare especially if you had to live in one of those places along there and have no choice but to use that road for anything. And then there's ulmerton rd LOL. I always recommend scouting an area for a year to experience the ups and downs. Very good advice here in this thread.

 

[JVD BVI]

Hey Gary, just wanted to say I had the pleasure of meeting you and seeing your tank in person a few years back. Got to see Junior, what a fish, you fed him some frozen broccoli, it was great.

I'm originally from the Buffalo area, my wife and I moved down here for her job and we absolutely love the area. There is a phenomenal reefing community down here with some great LFS. It definitely rivals the Buffalo/Rochester area.

 

[robthorn]

Welcome Gary if you make the move. Be prepared to take way to long to get anywhere outside of your neighborhood. I have no idea what you do just make sure you don't have to commute.
I am surprised nobody said anything about the people here. This is a good reefing community for sure. In general people suck here. Many people are great let me say again but say goodbye to enjoying being around people.
If you lose the job moving you here can you get another one making the same money or better? Someone mentioned the cost of living being low but I do not find that to be true. Especially considering the low wages paid in the area in general. Think $30-35 an hour in much of the country for say an electrician and $20-25 an hour doing the same job here. And probably not many holidays or benefits.
Good luck in your decision and move if you make it, I am sure to see you around the store if you do.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Hey Gary, just wanted to say I had the pleasure of meeting you and seeing your tank in person a few years back. Got to see Junior, what a fish, you fed him some frozen broccoli, it was great.

I'm originally from the Buffalo area, my wife and I moved down here for her job and we absolutely love the area. There is a phenomenal reefing community down here with some great LFS. It definitely rivals the Buffalo/Rochester area.

I remember when you moved!
Don't you miss Teds Hots and snow?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Of course scientology is an option, room and board included. :wildone:


On a serious note. I drive throughout the tri-county area at all hours of day and night. I have to say there's problem areas with traffic and then you have Us19 which its a breeze now that they've finished the overpasses. I personally would avoid eastlake/mc mullen booth area in oldsmar and palmharbor. Traffic is a nightmare especially if you had to live in one of those places along there and have no choice but to use that road for anything. And then there's ulmerton rd LOL. I always recommend scouting an area for a year to experience the ups and downs. Very good advice here in this thread.

This is seriously good info to know.
Google earth only shows so much. I heard communting across the bay on the bridge is a nightmare.
I would look to settle on the west side of the bay for sure!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Welcome Gary if you make the move. Be prepared to take way to long to get anywhere outside of your neighborhood. I have no idea what you do just make sure you don't have to commute.
I am surprised nobody said anything about the people here. This is a good reefing community for sure. In general people suck here. Many people are great let me say again but say goodbye to enjoying being around people.
If you lose the job moving you here can you get another one making the same money or better? Someone mentioned the cost of living being low but I do not find that to be true. Especially considering the low wages paid in the area in general. Think $30-35 an hour in much of the country for say an electrician and $20-25 an hour doing the same job here. And probably not many holidays or benefits.
Good luck in your decision and move if you make it, I am sure to see you around the store if you do.

Again.. great info. Thanks.
Sorry to hear that people suck. Maybe it's the heat... or that they're old and cranky and can't get a Zweigels white hot....

 

[Postal]

Again.. great info. Thanks.
Sorry to hear that people suck. Maybe it's the heat... or that they're old and cranky and can't get a Zweigels white hot....

The people don't suck. That's just their reaction to Rob. :beer:

 

[TURKLET0N]

This is seriously good info to know.
Google earth only shows so much. I heard communting across the bay on the bridge is a nightmare.
I would look to settle on the west side of the bay for sure!

I live in Westchase. I love it here. Im close enough just to drive to Clearwater without going over the bridge but still live in Tampa. The bridges arent that bad. It just depends on what time of day you are driving over them. Almost all of them are easy leaving Tampa but get more compacted going into Tampa.