Hello Everyone,
Im new to gcaptain. I was hoping to get some advice. I would like to work in the gom and live with my family nearby. We are just not sure where to live. We thought about Florida or Texas. But not sure. How is Louisiana?
I have a two year old son.
Any thoughts or imput will greatly be appriciated.
One of the great things about working on a boat is you can live wherever you want. Many companies will pay your travel to get to and from the boat. When I worked in the gulf my employer paid my travel from my door to the boat. Where I work now im local but they will fly me to the boat if it is out of town. You dont necessarily have to move, unless you want.
Me personally if I were to more south I would check out the stretch of TX from a little east of Houston to Brownsville including Freeport, Corpus Cristie, Aransas, etc or I would move to the Tampa area where I used to work.
Thank for the response bayrunner. How are the jobs out of Tampa?
Live in Texas in the area north of Houston and east of Dallas. That’s a good area to choose from and is in a drivable proximity to Lousy-ana. Plus there is no state income tax. Florida is tax free as well but hurricane prone which is a consideration if you’re going to be out of town frequently. Tennessee is still a tolerable distance to drive or short hop for a flight and tax free also. As stated the beauty of this job is you can live anywhere as long as you make crew change on time. Depending on the company you will get some type of travel pay to offset the airfare costs.
How is Louisiana?
Most of us work there but there is a reason why very few of us live in Louisiana…
Louisiana is great depending on what you like to do. The Northshore is nice. I would not recommend anything south of the lake. Lake ponchartrain that is. If you like to fish hunt and eat this is the place. Northshore has good schools too.
thanks for all the responses. Im unemployed at the moment, but Im hoping that will change soon. Planning on doing some “door knocking.”
Curious, what type of deals do vessel cooks have worked out in the gom? Pay, hours, shifts, etc… A friend of mine sailed as a cook/baker for siu. Said it was a great gig. Any thoughts?
You seem to be mistaken about something. Unless you’re going to work on a dinner cruise boat that comes back to the same docks every night; Working as a cook on the merchant marine vessels, oilfield supply vessels or Tugs, you don’t board for a day, you don’t go home every night. You go for two weeks,three weeks,or four weeks and then go home for usually the same amount of time. So where you live is immaterial. I believe Seaschool in St. Pete and
think in Mobile or Louisiana have a “cook school” Google at Seaschool all one word.
I have lived in Florida for the last Twenty Years. For the last Ten Years I have lived in the Central Florida Area. We are about Thirty Five Miles North of Orlando. It does get a little chilly here in the Winter with some days in the Thirty’s but it usually does not get below Forty. If you ride a Motorcycle this is GODS Country for riding as there are miles and miles of back roads to ride. It does get a little busy in the winter months when the Snowbirds come into town but all in all it’s a nice place to live. Property taxes are not that bad in my County (Lake) compared to others.
I can be in Orlando in 45-60 minutes, Tampa in 1.5 hours and Jacksonville in 2.5 hours.
[QUOTE=“cappy208;105654”]You seem to be mistaken about something. Unless you’re going to work on a dinner cruise boat that comes back to the same docks every night; Working as a cook on the merchant marine vessels, oilfield supply vessels or Tugs, you don’t board for a day, you don’t go home every night. You go for two weeks,three weeks,or four weeks and then go home for usually the same amount of time. So where you live is immaterial. I believe Seaschool in St. Pete and
think in Mobile or Louisiana have a “cook school” Google at Seaschool all one word.[/QUOTE]
Again, thank you for your response. I understand. For clairification, I am under the impression that, if you lived nearby, you would be more desireable. In my opinion, companies would rather save the travel cost and risk involved. It could just be spectulation. Anyway, my family and I, want to relocate south. I do understand a mariners life. My wife sailed deep sea. I sailed tugs and Ferries.
[QUOTE=“Tugs;105656”]I have lived in Florida for the last Twenty Years. For the last Ten Years I have lived in the Central Florida Area. We are about Thirty Five Miles North of Orlando. It does get a little chilly here in the Winter with some days in the Thirty’s but it usually does not get below Forty. If you ride a Motorcycle this is GODS Country for riding as there are miles and miles of back roads to ride. It does get a little busy in the winter months when the Snowbirds come into town but all in all it’s a nice place to live. Property taxes are not that bad in my County (Lake) compared to others.
I can be in Orlando in 45-60 minutes, Tampa in 1.5 hours and Jacksonville in 2.5 hours.[/QUOTE]
Thanks Tugs, Were are just so tired of the NE grind. My wife has has family in Central Florida. Cant want to move. Just waitin for slack water. In your opinion, do you think, central Fl, would be a good location to work in the gom. Thanks again.
The only locally based tug work in FL is in Jacksonville for the most part. Gulf Coast/Tampa Bay boats are usually coming in from Houston & New Orleans and immediately returning.
Driving on I-4 is a nightmare and is usually shut down in one direction several times a week for an accident, traffic or brush fire.
If you aren’t living on/near the water in FL you will suffocate in summer. Unlivable away from water.
[QUOTE=Mullet Farm;105673]The only locally based tug work in FL is in Jacksonville for the most part. Gulf Coast/Tampa Bay boats are usually coming in from Houston & New Orleans and immediately returning.
Driving on I-4 is a nightmare and is usually shut down in one direction several times a week for an accident, traffic or brush fire.
If you aren’t living on/near the water in FL you will suffocate in summer. Unlivable away from water.[/QUOTE]
Truth.
I have lived in Jacksonville (twice), Orlando, and Winter Park. I like FL but it’s hot as hell in summer so if you are coming from the NE you may find it tough until you acclimate.
It is my impression that if you work for companies who use this as the measure of their crew they are too cheap to work for.
Central Florida is a good place for a cheap winter home, but otherwise why be there. Unless you like city living (inside in air conditioning most of the time), such as Fort Lauderdale or Miami, the Keys have the most to offer a mariner.
Parts of Texas are nice, others not so much. On the coast, maybe somewhere around Galveston.
FL has no income tax. You are free to work in a major harbor out of state, fly in and out for work (provided your employer covers travel), and relax during your time off in your permanent residence in Florida. Just make sure you live near a major airport.
Just remember, If you live at a place where you have to fly you basically lose two days of your off time traveling. If you plan only to advance to cook or AB AND plan on buying land then living in a state that has taxes may be better for you. I live in Florida and pay a crap load of taxes on property and I only own a house and 1/4 acre of land, It would have been cheaper to live in Alabama. Now that I’m in the wheelhouse it is cheaper for me to live in Florida. (About $3,000 a year cheaper.)
It also depends on if you are country or not. I loved living in Jacksonville when I was younger but guess I’m getting old and want to be left alone so I’m looking for land and a place to hide away when I’m off. Looked into Tenn. but land is to expensive for my taste so the offset of no taxes would never make up the difference over the price of the land and most likely property taxes.
You will have to weigh the options and see. Does paying $1,200 more in taxes mean more to you or those 16 days you lose a year by flying plus some companies doesn’t cover all your flying cost, that comes out of your pocket, or is it better for you to drive 4 hours or less from the office and be home while living in a state with taxes?
Just throwing some things out there for you to maul over. Isn’t La. trying to go as a tax free state also?? If tax free state is the #1 factor, to me there is a lot more involved. I was born and raised in Alabama so all the Southern States I could live in, just not sure about anything south of Gainsville, Florida though. ( I wouldn’t call that part a southern state. )
Thats a helpful breakdown. I have alot to think about. Thank you
[QUOTE=“AB Murph;105839”]Just remember, If you live at a place where you have to fly you basically lose two days of your off time traveling. If you plan only to advance to cook or AB AND plan on buying land then living in a state that has taxes may be better for you. I live in Florida and pay a crap load of taxes on property and I only own a house and 1/4 acre of land, It would have been cheaper to live in Alabama. Now that I’m in the wheelhouse it is cheaper for me to live in Florida. (About $3,000 a year cheaper.)
It also depends on if you are country or not. I loved living in Jacksonville when I was younger but guess I’m getting old and want to be left alone so I’m looking for land and a place to hide away when I’m off. Looked into Tenn. but land is to expensive for my taste so the offset of no taxes would never make up the difference over the price of the land and most likely property taxes.
You will have to weigh the options and see. Does paying $1,200 more in taxes mean more to you or those 16 days you lose a year by flying plus some companies doesn’t cover all your flying cost, that comes out of your pocket, or is it better for you to drive 4 hours or less from the office and be home while living in a state with taxes?
Just throwing some things out there for you to maul over. Isn’t La. trying to go as a tax free state also?? If tax free state is the #1 factor, to me there is a lot more involved. I was born and raised in Alabama so all the Southern States I could live in, just not sure about anything south of Gainsville, Florida though. ( I wouldn’t call that part a southern state. )[/QUOTE]
Do you work in the gulf?