Moving to Port Angeles from Canada(need work suggestions?) (Seattle: sales, rentals)

[boardergirl]

So after carefully picking the right place to call home for a while, I feel that Port Angeles would be the best place for my husband & I. Its not the greatest for some but its exciting for outdoor activities. My husband currently lives in Westport & cannot live w/o surfing and im from Vancouver Canada and I need the mountain for snowboarding. So for activities, I think we could make it work out there. I dont mind the rain/weather as Vancouver & Westport has very similar weather. As for nightlife, we understand there is basically nada but Victoria has a great nightlife so i dont mind doing the travel there.

He also works for Westport Shipyard in westport and he's able to relocate but Im worried that looking for a job for me would be very difficult. I work in the Events industry and there is zero events/dj/production company in Port Angeles that i've researched or at surrounding areas. I have a wide variety of work experiences so I feel I can do anything & I am open to trying other employment but very worried that everywhere I've been reading says that theres not a good employment opportunities or the pay is low (minimum wage) which is a huge concern for me. Since I am Canadian, I can work in Victoria and have ties with Events industry out there or I can do anything in an office setting. My question is, does anyone work in Victoria & live in PA? I looked into the Ferry commute and I guess I'll be ok with commuting but the travel times are kinda lame since first ferry doesnt leave until 8:10am and last time would be 6:10pm. Are there water charters/boats that travel often from PA to Victoria other than the ferry & the express?

Any suggestion would be awesome

[allforcats]

Hi. Your ideas are interesting.

First, Port Angeles is in what's called the "rain shadow" -- it has very little rain compared with Westport, Vancouver or Seattle. Sequim, the town next door to the east, is what is called "the banana belt" here -- I think 13 inches of rain per year or so in Sequim, and about 15 or 16 inches in Port Angeles (Seattle has about 32 inches). Port Angeles has a lot of direct sunshine, and wind, all year.

Second, since no one "commutes" for work between Port Angeles and Victoria, there are no public transport/ferry accommodations for that. Washingtonians go to Victoria to shop, not to work, so the state ferry schedule provides service during shopping hours.
If you want to live in WA and work in B.C., you should live in Bellingham, Blaine or Lynden, although getting through customs twice a day could often turn into a job in itself.

Third, you could find lots of outdoor activities all over the Olympic Peninsula. However, there is no surfing off Port Angeles because there are no waves, and much of the shoreline is protected sanctuaries for wildfowl and other wildlife.
About snowboarding, since the Olympic Mountains are part of the federal Olympic National Park, you'd need to check that snowboarding is allowed. (Doesn't ring a bell that it is, but that could be wrong.) Here's the National Park Service website for the ONP:
http://www.nps.gov/olym/
If not allowed, you can go to the mainland and get up into the Cascade Mountains, where there are many snowboarding sites where you can fly for a fee.

Fourth, I'm confused about where your husband would be working. In Westport? If so, Port Angeles is about 150 miles away on the only road there is, a winding, 2-lane, fairly dangerous road which becomes very dangerous in the many, many profoundly heavy downpours that fall all year between Sol Duc and Aberdeen (all of which is a rain forest with 140 to 160 inches of rain per year, mostly Sept. 1 through July 1). I must have misunderstood what you wrote because I'm sure your husband would never think of "commuting" between Port Angeles and Westport.

Since it can be useful to locate as closely as possible to where one works, where will his job be located?

The economy of Port Angeles is pretty healthy. It's kind of a small town atmosphere, not quaint but friendly and pleasant. Here is their local classifieds, which could give you an idea of their job market:
Peninsula Daily News

Googled water taxi Port Angeles Victoria -- to get more info:
http://www.bctravel.com/travel.html
http://www.sanjuanislandsdirectory.c...and/sjfuel.htm
http://www.rendezvouslodge.com/travelinformation.htm

[boardergirl]

My husband currently lives & work in westport. He works for the westport shipyard which he can transfer to the shipyard located in PA.

As for surfing, he's got friends out there who surf. The areas are not a beginner surf spots. He said "they're fickle areas". and Im only a beginner surfer. Maybe the spots are 1 hour drive but its pretty central for what suits his needs and my needs.

also i checked hurricane ridge and it says ski & snowboard area. I'd be bummed if snowboarding is not allowed

We are going to visit PA very soon to check it out.

Basically im just worried about jobs for me as I only want to do office type of position or something that involves organizing. whether that is leading or not.

My husband wants to live close to water so that is why we think PA is the best area

[brian_in_Bellingham]

First things first, if you decide to work in the U.S., are you allowed to work in the U.S.? I mean do you have a Green Card? Same thing applies to living here. My wife is from Toronto, and we had to go through all of the Visa and Green Card paperwork.

If you lived in Whatcom County and worked in BC, you could get a NEXUS pass to more quickly pass through customs and still have a reasonable commute. I have a co-worker and my wife has several that do that (lives in BC, works here), so it is possible. Also, Whatcom County has a great snowboarding area (Mt. Baker), which I think was pretty much the first ski area to allow snowboarders.

[boardergirl]

I will be allowed to work in US. Yes I know the process and I've done my research. We only want to live in west coast of Washington. Thanks for your input.

I am only interested if finding out if anyone commutes from PA to Victoria daily for work. I have made some calls to the Employment agency in PA but they only have 1 client that does it and they happen to be a freelancer.

[citydatauser]

Hi Boardergirl,

First of all, I live in Port Angeles and it is truely an amazing place. You made an excellent choice and i would like to welcome you! Im glad your husband could get transfered to the Westport in PA. I know a lot of people that work there. It's one of the largest (if not the largest) employers In Port Angeles.

This area is filled with many outdoor activities; and yes, skiing/snowboarding and surfing are some of them. Hurricane Ridge does have a snowboard and ski area, but it is small. You can find other places if you want to hike. Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area

People dont really commute to Victoria from Port Angeles. The only year-round ferry that runs between Port Angeles and Victoria is the Coho. The trip is an hour and thirty minutes each way. Although it is only a 22 mile trip, the time it takes is so long because the ship was specially designed to handle the rough waters of the Strait of Juan De Fuca. Another ferry, the Victoria Express, operates from May to September. The sailing takes about 1 hour.

Can you tell me a little bit more about what you are looking for in a job, and more about what you do? I might be albe to help you out some!

[Dendrite]

+1 on Citydata's thoughts. We have a second home in PA and live there part time. My wife and I have taken the Coho ferry over to Victoria perhaps 2 or 3 dozen times over the past several years. If the ferry is delayed due to weather or something, no problem for us, we just wait it out or do something else that day- It's a great trip for the casual traveler such as ourselves but as Citydata said to you Boardergirl, it is about a 3 hour round trip. I think that magnitude of a daily "commute" would get very old in short order. I don't know... if I had to do a +/- 3 hour commute every day, it would almost be easier to drive down to Bainbridge and take the short ferry ride across to Seattle. You could probably find a DJ job in Seattle if you absolutely/positively had to stay in the entertainment industry. Honestly, that daily drive wouldn't be a lot of fun either-

I assume that you and your husband have spent time (several days?) in PA and have a good feel for the town and all that the area has to offer? If not, this might be useful to do before you decide to "pull the plug" on your current jobs.

I think your ability to find work in PA would depend upon your willingness to be flexible in what jobs you would consider. Check the online resources above, see what's available and perhaps set up some job interviews? You're right, it's unlikely there would be many (if any) entertainment/DJ jobs in PA/Sequim but you could probably find something in retail, service, banking, etc. They may start you at or near minimum wage but that would change as you became experienced in your position.

We love PA and I think you would too but as I said above, you'll probably have to be flexible in your employment considerations. So I guess the $6 question is: How bad do you two want to live in PA?

Good Luck!

[boardergirl]

Wow thank you. I didnt know that the ferry is closed for a certain amount of time. I was thinking of taking the 1 hour ferry which wouldnt be so bad.

I dont necessarily need a job in the entertainment/events industry. I have flexible work experience but my forte is administration and coordinating. I have done sales, retail, warehouse jobs/labour jobs which I currently do right now. I have great knowledge in Audio Video sales, rentals, and setting up events. It would be fun to get back into it but i dont necessarily need to be doing the same thing. This is just a job a can see myself enjoying for the rest of my life. lol. But I dont have any experience in lumber or healthcare which I understand is the booming job in PA. I dont mind starting something entry level as i am a fast learner and i like learning new experiences. I love PA. I think its beautiful and its the closest thing to BC. I'd like to be close to home. I like the outdoors. I dont mind hiking to get to the awesome fresh powder.

But, I wouldnt quit my job unless I find something reasonable - especially with how the economy is doing. I know I'll be taking a huge hit with my income and I dont want to settle with minimum wage. So, I figured I would move to Grays Harbour where my husband is now until I land a good job in PA. I've been stressing about getting a job in PA, but I forgot that I dont have to move there right away. Its just our ideal place to live since my husband and I find a balance there.

[nwcountrygal]

Bardergirl
I don't know if this is a good suggestion - but it is one...
8 years ago I choose to change my job to fit area I lived opposed to long drive to do what I was used to. I ended up selling cars for a chevy dealership... with the economy today it isn't as appealing however.... when you get make $$ it is a better wage..
I know there is a Chevy dealer in PA and I believe Toya/Honda store.... I had the same type of background as you - I did well.. - you might at least check them out for the Admin if sales isn't your style...
Good luck

[citydatauser]

You said an office type job... a place i know of that is hiring is Black Ball Transportation for the Coho Ferry. They should have good pay. Below is the link to their site with information and requirements. I really dont know you or your background, so i dont know if this job is for you. however, i did see somethings in the requirements that you did mention.
Contact Information Black Ball Transport Inc. - Port Angeles Vehicle & Passenger Ferry.

And keep looking at the victoria Express webpage. Everyonce in a while they have a regular office job open up. right now there are now openings however. http://www.victoriaexpress.com/jobs.html

Also there are many events, festivals and organizations in Port Angeles that are looking for people like you, but most of them are non-profit. Are you into the preforming arts at all?