Wait... your aunt is single?


Anyhoo... watch out for Ketchikan women; they have crabs.

go for it!

Spent a good part of my life in SE and you cant go wrong spending time there. If the outdoors, hunting and fishing are your thing you will be in heaven. Yes it can be grey and rainy at times the the good days certainly make up for it. Just spent 2 weeks in Petersburg (a little north) and once again nothing but amazingly good times. Ketchikan is a bit touristy now adays but still a good time and almost anything you could imagine is an hour or two away by plane

BF goodrich boots or maybe the new Grundens are almost a necessity

Skeeters and no see ums are a bitch, deet is your friend along with hooded sweatshirts. Deer flies remove lots of meat

if your gonna be working outside quality raingear, grundens or helley hansen maybe carhartts will be your friend

Find time to visit other towns and every place ya can. A plane ride on a nice day for shits and giggles if nothing else is a fantastic adventure

Black bears are the local stray dogs and dont require a call to the police to save the world, browns are the sketchy ones and pretty sure they have not made it to that area but could be wrong

yes everything is a tad more expensive but it is what it is

Probably not actually written by Mark Twain, but frequently attributed to him.[/quote]

Well said! Go for it unless your giving up your dream job here with no chance of coming back. I have heard so many well I could have stories, you only live once.

Travel well armed at all times that is serious bear country especially where there is food.

Have fun! My .02


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I got out of the Navy, I was offered two different jobs.
The first was working for the .gov on the island of Midway.
Sure... free room, food, beer, tax free, etc. It still didn't sound like fun to me.

The second was from the C.I.A.
Eight weeks of training and then straight off to Lebanon.
No idea of pay or anything else. That could of put me into early retirement, if I didn't get shot walking in front of a window.

Oh well.

Next job is greeter at WalMart.

If you aren't tied down go. Don't look back. Go and live.

If it's a bust you leave with a lesson learned. If it's great you'll tell your grandchildren stories of it when you're old and tired
No better time to live than right now.

Do it, your job lands you in AK. My job is taking me to OK.

A wise man (dad) once told me "When you see an opportunity open up, walk through that door otherwise you'll spend a lifetime regretting you did not".

Good luck! You'll love Alaska if you're even remotely an outdoors person.

Good Luck. Alaska is like Washington, only bigger, more aggressive, and still very untamed beyond the villages, towns, and cities. It is the place where people go to find themselves, or to not be found. I grew up in Ketchikan, and yea it is a tourist destination for cruise ships during the summer. As a result businesses try to take advantage of this and sometimes goods can be over priced. POW is a pretty big island with lots of little villages around, and downtime would be better enjoyed with a vehicle. Watch out for muskeg when hiking, I've almost lost my share of boots stepping on what I thought was safe ground, but sinks way in. When it is sunny Alaska is the best place ever, and the fishing is excellent. If you get to know folks there are plenty of people who like to fish and take folks out to enjoy that time with. But when it rains the place sucks. I moved to Washington to get away from the rain.

A lot of people think they can go to Alaska and make it rich. But due to the high cost of living, those higher wages reflect the cost of living. I've met a number of people who went to work in the local cannery or for some other local seasonal work and basically got stuck there, didn't anticipate the costs and had a tough time getting back home. So don't go there empty handed, have an exit plan too in case things go sideways on you.

Also, not saying it is an issue or something you'll run into, it wasn't ever and issue for me, but in some parts of Alaska the Natives don't want you there. So if you rub them the wrong way you will feel not wanted. Can be an issue when in the bars.

If you are in Ketchikan, and you get into a real pinch let me know, I still have some good friends there that might be able to give you a hand.

Update:

Heartfelt thanks to all the responses and encouragements so far. I’ve got a contact to make today with the newest member of the crew up there, and this being only his 2nd season, I’m guessing the mistakes he learned from last year are still fresh in mind.

As far as the crew goes so far....the short time I spent with them during the interview was very easy going. (It was a an informal thing. Introductions were made, hands shaken...and then I just picked up a box and started helping them with what they were busy with , while we talked. After 20 minutes of that, we broke and chatted. It seemed that the 3 of us could have easily just shot the shit for awhile without any strain) Our range of conversation flowed pretty naturally. They seemed like hard working, and hard playing guys that I’d feel comfortable hanging out with. My first impressions of them were that they were respectful, and passionate about the project. That carries a long way in my book.

My GF is being very supportive, and agrees that the experience would be good for me.

I gotta be honest. I’m no kid. I’ll be 44 this month. All the more reason to take advantage of such an opportunity that may never come along again. One day telling my grandkids about this experience isn’t that far away...since I already HAVE one grandchild!

My decision will be made today, and my gut is definitely telling me to go for it. I’ve begun making lists of what I’ll need to bring, versus what I’ll need in short order, but can be shipped after my arrival.

I’ve been out of work for nearly 3 months, so my funds are quite low already. It’s gonna be basic necessities only, with few creature comforts. I’m ok with that. It will no doubt be part of the experience of being out there.

Thanks again for all the input, and keep it coming guys!

I can only say that in my late thirties found myself in a terrible sweatshop of a tech job in Kirkland, WA. After two years of sucking it up, I turned in a three day notice and headed south to teach skiing full time at Mammoth Mountain, CA. One of my best experiences ever and really enjoyed teaching the little munchkin beasties how to ski that season. That year I was 39 so no spring chicken there either.

In my case decided to drive ambulance after that for another year in Orange County, CA before returning to the tech industry in Washington for a long stint. So in my case I had some fallbacks.

I'd say since your funds are depleted from unemployment, go for the opportunity in front of you to get back on your feet again. Once you get some money back in the bank, then you have more options. Plus in the meantime you'll be living and working in a beautiful area and likely be racking up a great lifetime experience. Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say.

Guns:

The only firearms I still have left after recent tribulations, are the 2 which I personally feel are the standby weapons that every grown adult should possess. A service rifle (M-forgery), and my edc high cap compact 9mm. The rifle will be going with me of course, but I’m fairly certain a 9mm is a ridiculous defense choice for predators of the furry, 4-legged variety.

I do not have access or ability to obtain a large bore sidearm right now. My choice would be my old 29-2, but that baby is long gone. A close friend has agreed to trade for his 4” .357, which is still a little on the anemic side for brown bear (I think?), however...better than a nine.

When you are sitting on the rest home porch at the end of your life, there are only two things you can say.

" Been there, done that, got the t-shirt, here's the photo album, and boy, do I have memories ! "

OR

" I wonder what it would have been like, if I had only done all those things I never did................."

Go - and add to your life story.

If you don't, you will call yourself a fucking dumb ass for the rest of your life.

Post photos regularly, just to piss us off at how good life is if you grab it by the nuts and make it deliver the goods.

Well, that is not meant to be gay, but you get the message, hopefully.

.

Hope you find a girlfriend in Ketchikan.