USA Expat-a Good Place to Go?

[delmarrey]

Wow! So many replies. I should have checked in more often. Thanks all for the comments!

Hurricane season is about to start down south so I'll have some time to do some research. Panama seems to be getting a lot of positive rep, as well the Baja too.
There's only one place that I've been/lived where the weather was great all year around, but it's not cheep and the sailing is very mild. If it only had islands or places to sail to

I guess I need to pick up some charts but how deep are the waters around the Baja, and Panama? My boat has a 7' 3" draft. I know FL is too shallow for this vessel. And I'll need to brush up on my Latino lingo.

As for PI and S. Asia, I've been going there most of my life and I'm tired of the growth of pollution, over population, sewage smells and lack of respect for others. I wonder how MX and Pan would compare?

I may just fly down for a look-see before the actual sail.

[chile1]

Chile without a moments hesitation, very safe, clean, cheap, and the police are honest and law abiding. The north of Chile is spectacular with great ports such as Arica, Iquique and Atofagasta and some of the most beautiful national parks in world. My wife and I spent years there and recommend it without reservation.

[delmarrey]

I've always wondered about Chile but I hear very little about it in cruising respects. Are there many ports, or islands to explore?

[chile1]

Yep, the Juan Fernandez island of Robinson Crusoe fame are Chilean possessions, as well as Easter Island. To the south the Patagonian archipelago has hundreds of of Islands. From Puerto Montt in south central it's a skip over to the large island of Chiloe and from there many more islands.

[cards26]

There are ranches available in Northern Chile for $40K. I would agree that it's a lot safer there, as they're not part of the cocaine trade and manufacture.

The only problem I had there is that I think they're hard to understand versus Colombia and Mexican Spanish. It was tough for me to pick up that accent.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I'm trying to find a good reason not to sell the boat. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-141599.html

I'm on a retirement income, not married anymore, have a boat and a large RV, and I'm researching things to do, or places to go. So, what are some good ideas for a man in my situation? Where's a good place to live for sail boat owners that doesn't have cold winters?
I've been in the SF Bay Area for over a year now, off and on. But it's not looking too good. I'm a gunk-holer, and the bay here is very limited. I've been thinking some U.S. Territory in the Carib. And Mexico is changing now. But I've never been there so I need advice. I've given up on the S. Pac. I've grown tired of the culture and looking for someplace more favorable.
I really loved the PNW but the cold and wet has turned me away in my later years. So, I'm open to suggests and comments.

Del

Originally Posted by krafthaus

Hey delmarrey,

Why don't you give the Sea of Cortez a go? You won't run out of gunkholing spots. Good cruiser crowd. Inexpensive so that will help stretch the retirement income. We did a charter there in 2012 & loved it. The people are fantastic. Mexico has its issues widely discussed on CF & elsewhere, but if the circumstances were right we would spend time there.

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Del,

Keep the boat, the Sea of Cortez is closest to you.
I loved the years we spent there.
It's like a desert version of the PNW, only bigger and way less populated.
You can daysail to different anchorages.
I'd recommend following the sun though.
Summer in the sea can be brutal and winter can be windy.

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Go South to mexico amigo
And then when done, sell the boat there and buy that RV in Europe.

Originally Posted by monroe0

Our experience with Ensenada has been excellent. We pulled in to Cruiseport marina, and after checking in, the office staff drove us to the port captain's office and guided us through the whole entrance procedure.

The community is great, it's been a great place to hang out, learn our way around, work on our Spanish, and plan for the Sea for this fall.

Originally Posted by Captain Curran

I agree - aim for La Paz in the Sea of Cortez - get to know the scene and then start exploring up into the Sea.

I guess I don't mind the rain and chill because I went north up to Alaska - if you can handle the winter - then you are in some of the prettiest gunkholing grounds in the world.

OK Dell...what more do you want!!! I'm agreeing with all the above! But most of all and more important...get on that boat that you know you love and stop punishing yourself and get out there and rediscover your soul, my friend.

[sww914]

There's no good reason not to sail south. You'll love it here, I promise. Sail here in the winter, leave your boat up in the sea or in Bahia Banderas where it's safe from hurricanes and cruise the rest of North America in your RV in the summer and you will be happy. Good weather and affordable living year round.
If you get tired of this just sail over to the Carib.
Random pic from today-

[chile1]

IT does not rain in northern Chile, ok, once every ten years or so. There overall difference in temperature yearly is maybe 4 degrees. The Atacama desert is the driest place in the world, but there two rivers that cross the desert and provide irrigation for fruit orchards and the olive groves. No cocaine culture, no corruption culture, good clean hospitals, The WINE!!, j.c., I almost forgot the wine. If I have to tell you about world class Chilean wines, you really are lost. The incredible fruit in northern Chile, the hot springs, the cheese, very low cost of living. The big secret is the olive oil, northern Chile produces some of the best olive oil in the world and has been for over 250 years. They still have the culture of "repair it" rather than "replace it". Keep that boat and go.

[Canibul]

We've lived outside the US for ten years now. I think the Brits started that "expatriate" crap, and now people use on us whether we like it or not. We do not consider ourselves "EX" anything. We are US citizens. We own property in several states. We're residents of the Turks and Caicos. We were on a cruise in the Sea of Cortez a few years ago and the locals loved it when I handed them a boat card with my name "Gringo" on it. Big laughs all around. And yeah, I know what it means. I'm from Texas.

Hey I think the general advice you're getting is to just start heading south for now. Talk to people along the way. Keep doing your research. You might find someplace you like in Pacific Mexico, or you might decide to keep going. Just sounds to me like your stagnant where you are. Easy to fix that. Just don't be there any longer.

Our plans are similar to some of the things you are considering. We're working toward spending 8 months a year on the boat, and four in our own little RV up in the Rockies, with the boat secured down here somewhere for hurricane season. Panama sounds pretty good for retirees. You can live on Social Security alone there. You might look into Puerto Rico, too. Judging by your comments.

Just getting there should take care of the next few years and get you out of that PNW gloom at least. I always found things seemed a little better with a light sunburn...

[SM6WET]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

I've given up on the S. Pac. I've grown tired of the culture and looking for someplace more favorable.
Del

I don't get it, you give up on south pacific because of culture? What country were you in?

I don't know if you had a bad experience but I would recommend a country in the south pacific. Cook Islands........

Why?
- Everybody speaks English
- Stable currency (NZ dollar)
- Stable law and system based on Brittish Common Law
- Crime is extremely low
- Locals are very friendly and hospitable
- There is no stress
- There is no traffic jams
- There is no big cities, just "town"
- There is no fast food but great local produce
- You have 15 islands and close to French Polynesia, Toleau, Niue, Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati
- Good communications
- No cold weather, there is no "off-season"
- No poisonous snakes, spiders, insects or other life threating animals
- Fresh air
- One of the worlds lowest cancer statistics (may be to being far of industrial countries)
- Food is mainly quite inexpensive although some import can become more costly
- No tipping, the price you see is the price you pay
- reliable and cheap public transportation
- Reasonable harbor costs if your a member of the club

I would take my boat and run a little cruise charter or day trips for extra income now when your retired.

Cheers,
Magnus

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by SM6WET

I don't get it, you give up on south pacific because of culture? What country were you in?

I don't know if you had a bad experience but I would recommend a country in the south pacific. Cook Islands........

Why?
- Everybody speaks English
- Stable currency (NZ dollar)
- Stable law and system based on Brittish Common Law
- Crime is extremely low
- Locals are very friendly and hospitable
- There is no stress
- There is no traffic jams
- There is no big cities, just "town"
- There is no fast food but great local produce
- You have 15 islands and close to French Polynesia, Toleau, Niue, Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati
- Good communications
- No cold weather, there is no "off-season"
- No poisonous snakes, spiders, insects or other life threating animals
- Fresh air
- One of the worlds lowest cancer statistics (may be to being far of industrial countries)
- Food is mainly quite inexpensive although some import can become more costly
- No tipping, the price you see is the price you pay
- reliable and cheap public transportation
- Reasonable harbor costs if your a member of the club

I would take my boat and run a little cruise charter or day trips for extra income now when your retired.

Cheers,
Magnus

I've spent a lot of time in the Philippines over the past 20 years and some even before that. As well, I've been to other major ports in S. Asia and up to Japan.

I can tell you this, that the cost of living is not any better down there, any more, then it is in the States. It's just the quality of what you get is what your willing to pay. The craftsmanship sux. I wouldn't trust anyone to ever work on my boat, except maybe sand the bottom. Propane and diesel are one of the few items that beats the U.S. Also it's the hottest place on earth, if you average it out annually.

As for the rest of the S. Pac, it's been a long while, but I hate crowds!

The Cook Islands sound interesting, and I hear a lot of good things about Tahiti, but expensive. But that whole ocean around there is a typhoon hole, even in the off season they get storms. Maybe if I had a full keeled pig boat, but this IOR can work you to death in a long storm. Heck, there is a Cat 3 storm building up right now and the season has barely started.

Maybe the cooks are far enough SE to miss out on all the crap. But sounds worth looking into.

Del

[SY DELMA]

Delmarrey, I would suggest to think about Eastern Med, especially Turkish waters. I live and sail here for decades - this is a real sailing paradise for all tastes, especially for gunk-holers. Take a look to the area of Bodrum - Marmaris - Fethiye - Antalya. It is possible to get the residence permit based on annual marina contract (it costs me about $4500 for my 50-footer). There are plenty of bays, anchorages, good-service marinas, and it is possible to sail all year round. Wast European sailing expat community exists here. The ultimate source of information is Rod Heikell's "Turkish waters and Cyprus pilot".

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by SY DELMA

Delmarrey, I would suggest to think about Eastern Med, especially Turkish waters. I live and sail here for decades - this is a real sailing paradise for all tastes, especially for gunk-holers. Take a look to the area of Bodrum - Marmaris - Fethiye - Antalya. It is possible to get the residence permit based on annual marina contract (it costs me about $4500 for my 50-footer). There are plenty of bays, anchorages, good-service marinas, and it is possible to sail all year round. Wast European sailing expat community exists here. The ultimate source of information is Rod Heikell's "Turkish waters and Cyprus pilot".

Iwas there on a 200 ft charter sailboat and the was little wind enough to sailduring 3 weeksand its windy wild usually in winter Ive heard

[hellosailor]

My own feeling is that expats have left home, and they are sojourning someplace else, but as part of their own "expat community". As opposed to genuine immigrants, who have left home for good and chosen to move someplace else and become one with it, with no restrictions and no intent to hang around all the time with other expats.


Of course then you have the "immigrants" and "refugees" who have no intention of adopting or blending into the culture of their new homeland, much less learning the language or becoming citizens of it. I lump those in with the other tourists and suggest they should be sent home after Labor Day.

[Canibul]

I think the term 'expat' is a purely brit phrase, and it should be used to describe british people.

There is certainly nothing "ex" about being a US taxpayer. Uncle Sam collects federal taxes from US citizens no matter where they live, or for how long they have lived there.
We're not 'ex' anything.