Hello from Alaska and a Seaborne question!

AKpilot....I to am from Alaska. I have been living in the bush for about 6 years (seems like a lifetime). I have been reading this board for about 2 years and also thinking about making the move to a warmer climate. With my daughter in college I keep putting it off. After reading this board I found that the salaries are much lower in paradise, I guess it's a trade off. Someday I to will make the move. It has been a terrible winter in Alaska this year.......

I like that here in Alaska, no one really cares what car you drive, how much you make, what crap you own. Cars are an afterthought here. People are not the most friendly and open like in the Midwest (where I am orrigionally from) but they will be do anything for you once you get into their circle of trust. Nothing is fake here and no one puts on ANY airs.

I think that most people on STX are unconcerned with status stuff, and that people are much friendlier here than in the states, on average.

We have crime, but luckily, with some forward thinking, I have never been a victim of it yet (knock on wood).

Crime is probably much worse here than in AK, but with knowledge and caution, you can avoid it.

how have things been in STX as of late?

STX is hot! This is the warmest winter in a while. Today feels like summer, and it's still high season.

How's Seaborne looking to all of you? Had good expierences with them, they sure look like a blast to fly for! Wondering how rentals look around STX come June-ish? Is this the off season?

As a customer, I like Seaborne, and their pilots seem to enjoy their jobs. I've met CEO/President Omer ErSelcuk and he's really nice. The last couple of years, they have done a 3-plane formation fly-over of the C'sted harbor before the boat parade in December. It's a real crowd-pleaser. June is off-season, and you should have no problem finding lodging and a rental car. December to April is high season.

AK: I can't answer the St Croix questions, but I LOVE Seaborne. I hope you look good in the shorts that the pilots wear! 😉

Dear StxBob,

"Hot" Winter???

Man, I've had to wear socks to bed several nights this past month.
Only finally got 'warm' today, IMHO. (I'm mid-isle, so maybe you're stuck on the hotter southshore?)
Seems like this has been one of the coldest winters since we got on island.

AKPilot...
You're right, the starter pilots don't make much money, but as I understand it, pilots have taken cuts all around the industry, so I don't know if your prospects are going to be much better anywhere else. Yes, maybe better paying than Seaborne, but stuck in the cornfields versus flying over the most beautiful water in the world? No contest.

Moving to a place like Alaska or St Croix is all about quality of life. You don't move to either for the shopping, or school or job prospects, or cost of living.

One question: if you like the Alaska cold, will you be able to stand the year round warmth? In my experience, most people tend to like one and not the other.

LOL. I had to break out the winter clothes last month, but I put them away quickly. It was colder than usual, but it didn't last as long. All in all, a mild winter. I have had very few fires in my beloved chimenea this year. Wonder what summer will bring!*-)

Regarding the warm STX winter: This is our fifth year in Salt River, and it's hot here. Our pool has been getting up to 87F without the heater, which is unusual for March. Based on the pool temps we've been seeing, it's been warmer than usual all winter. The air just feels warmer to us as well. I'm referring mainly to daytime temps. You guys seem to be talking about night temps.

I looked for some weather stats. This is the best I could find:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/sju/?n=feb2010cr
Under "February 2010 Statistics," it shows STX temps 0.3F to 0.5F higher than 1971-2000 averages, although that could be attributed to recent global warming. Under "Figure 4 - Temperature deviations for Saint Croix, VI," it shows Feb 2010 temps generally higher than Feb temps from recent past years.

STXBob,
You really didn't notice a couple of weeks ago how cold it was? I got out my winter long johns to wear around the house (during the day), and at night I added socks and slippers, plus a robe. I added a blanket to the bed, a throw to the sofa, took long hot baths, etc. I drank hot tea in the middle of the day and made a big pot of chile! It was COLD! I think something like less than 70F for about 4 days! I totally enjoyed it!

Yes, I noticed that brief cold spell. But overall, I'd say it has been a warmer winter than usual.

I miss Alaskan summers, spent two of them in a tent a mile from the Matanuska glacier. Low 50s at night around the campfire 80's in the day on the ice. My dream retirement would be to buy a summer house in the Chugach mtns and keep the house down here for the winter. Or just find someone to trade with.

Yes, I noticed that brief cold spell. But overall, I'd say it has been a warmer winter than usual.

Your data is interesting Bob. I wonder how valid it is for those of us living on different parts of the island?
I was on the east end of StX yesterday and glad to get back to the cool hills of mid-isle.

In my experience, pool water temps aren't a good indicator of air temp. Lots of variables depending on depth, your location, shade, wind, cloud cover, and type of construction. Overnight temps can sometimes not affect my general pool temp much at all. Just depends.

In my experience, pool water temps aren't a good indicator of air temp. Lots of variables depending on depth, your location, shade, wind, cloud cover, and type of construction. Overnight temps can sometimes not affect my general pool temp much at all. Just depends.

In my experience, pools and people are affected by most of those things similarly. They are both affected by location, shade, wind, clouds, air temps during day and night, and covers which insulate and absorb sunlight (although our pool doesn't use covers). Perhaps most interestingly, pools and people are both affected by evaporative cooling. If it's windy, a pool and a person will cool faster. If it's not, they won't. So when I subjectively feel like it was a warmer winter than usual, and the pool thermometer objectively tells me that it was a warmer this winter than usual, then I conclude that it was, at least where I live.