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General Sailing Forum

We might be movin on. Winter Haven, FL.

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pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/19/2002 : 13:34:30

Hi Y'awl,

My wife has a job interview in Winter Haven Florida this January.

The real estate market here has all but died. I've had 3 closings since July. Normally it would be 2 or 3 a month. In my 8 years as a Realtor, I've never seen such a slump.

I've heard the market is much better in Florida. I'll be contacting Brokers there over the next couple of weeks to see what's going on.

<font size=4>Do any of you know anything about Winter Haven, Florida?</font id=size4>

It looks like a nice little town. Real estate prices are very resonable there too.

Located just 50 miles from Tampa<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>, it's the home of cypress Gardens and is supposed to be the water skiing capital of the world.

The web page doesn't say anything about sailing.<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

The drama of life goes on.

Thanks,

Paul

Edited by - pwhallon on 12/19/2002 13:35:18

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BCain
Navigator

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USA
103 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2002 : 14:13:54

Paul, Winter Haven is a nice little town surrounded by many small lakes. About 30 min. from the Disney/Universal/SeaWorld area. Lakeland is the nearest large town with excellent shopping, hospitals and Civic Center. Probably 45 min. to Tampa Bay and about 1 hour to the Gulf. Your best bet for sailing is the Tampa Bay/Gulf area. I-4 runs just north of town which will give you access to the East Coast thru Orlando to Daytona Bch or the Space Coast area. The good thing about Fl. is that you can get to any good water quickly, and there are lots of sailboats and areas to explore even in the winter.

Bruce WindShadow SK/SR Central Fl. Lakes

Edited by - on

jellyfish
Navigator

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USA
171 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2002 : 15:20:36

welcome to God's country Paul! you will love it.

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2002 : 18:03:30

Darn, I always thought that Texas was God's country...<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>
Derek

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2002 : 20:20:53

Iv'e been to Winter haven. All I can say is if you putter about in any calm waters keep your arms and legs inside the boat. The native inhabitants are always looking for a snack.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2002 : 20:33:42

When we lived in Florida, we made the trip to Winter Haven and went to Cypress Gardens. As we walked along a sidewalk inside the park we encountered a 3ft long alligator sunning itself on the cement. Needless to say, we gave this guy all due respect and a wide berth.

Don Lucier, 'North Star'
C25 SR/FK
On the hard, 200ft from Lake Erie

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BCain
Navigator

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USA
103 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 09:10:58

Derek, I always thought Texas was God's country too...God Forsaken.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Bruce WindShadow, Central Fl. Lakes

Edited by - bcain on 12/20/2002 09:12:17

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 09:34:14

Uh-oh... Easy guys... No need for that... God's country is actually in Eastern CT--Fisher's Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Long Island Sound, the CT River, the Narragansett...

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 10:16:11

Or the Great Sacandaga Lake, at least for the part of the year its usable for sailing. A big lake (32*5) with southern Adirondaks to the Northwest. But what makes it "God's Country" is that most of the lake is for the 136 sailboats moored on the lake, and the stinkpots don't often get out to the main part of the lake.

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 10:18:25

Paul,

I hope things work out for you and your family and the job works out for your wife, and find real estate workable for in Florida. I will pray for you and will ask my church to hold you in their prayers.

Thanks being open with the group on this forum. God's richest blessing for you and your family. God does love you!

Don Peet
c25, 1665, osmepneo, sr/wk
The Great Sacandaga Lake, NY

Edited by - osmepneo on 12/20/2002 19:29:16

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 10:38:51

Bruce - you have to remember that Texas was a broad geographical experiment that God conducted - and he forgot to paint half of it!
We don't have alligators, (except down by LA - that's Louisiana, not LA LA land) all we have in nasties are rattlesnakes and water moccasins - and they won't bother you if you don't bother them!
Derek

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 11:53:56

The cleveland Indians have their spring training in Winter Haven...I honestly haven't heard anything stellar about the area. Beef O'Brady's is the main hangout during spring training...

The facility is called Chain'o'lakes park so I know there are lakes in the area....A few years back a could of players including Bob Ojeda, Steve Olin and 1 or two others went boozing and then speed boating on the lake...the dock took a couple of heads off if I recall corectly...point being, there is water to sail on in the near vicinity....Not including the drive to the coast.

dw

D. Wolff - "The Flying Wasp" #401 sr/sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://www.flags.com/dreamimages/Flags/measurer.jpg" border=0>

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RoofRoof
Navigator

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USA
186 Posts

Response Posted - 12/20/2002 : 13:43:37

Just hope you're ready for a dull sleepy town.

Orlando is fairly close buy you don't want to drive around there with all of the tourists.

TampaBay is great. We are here on the bay and Gulf and the sailing is awesome.

That far inland you are stuck sailing on lakes. There must be a better choice.

Location, location, location.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2002 : 02:03:07

Paul when I was 19-20 I spent some time living in various parts of Florida interacting with the inhabitants. I lived in St. Pete, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Kissimmee, Haines City, Lakeland, and one other town near Winterhaven that I can not remember its name but it has a Carillion nearby and was south of Haines and north of Sebring.

Anyway, there are a lot of lakes in the area, but they are all small. Out of all the places I lived I loved central Florida the best. The gulf coast is full of transplants from the great lakes and Ohio and the Atlantic Coast if full of people from New York and New Jersey. Centra Florida was more relaxed, more southern. They do tend to talk a little more colorfully there. While I was there I picked up a little drawl myself. It is a beautiful place, in spite of no-see-ums. Actually all of Florida is pretty nice - but I was glad to come back home to California and dry off. In CA it rains in the winter and is dry all summer. In Florida it rains (pours is an understatement) every afternoon and is cool and dryer in the winter. I could never get the seasons right, I always had to stop and think what time of year is it back home?

Good luck. I know how hard it is to make a decision of such magnitude

Todd Hansen
San Luis Obispo, CA

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pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Response Posted - 12/21/2002 : 18:05:07

Hi Y'awl,

The response has been great.

I am nervous about alligators. I here crocodiles are on the come back trail in Florida as well.

I am for environmental protection...BUT...why do we protect critters that want to eat us?

Around here you just have to dodge the bullets from the poachers ridin the roads to kill deer. We also have coyotes and Bobcats.

I'm thinking we could live 20-30 miles toward Tampa.

The schools are an issue as well.

Youze guys are the best.

I hope more posts come in on this topic.

I'll take some pics while we're down there and post them.

Thanks,

Paul

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Tray
Navigator

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Namibia
224 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2002 : 16:36:28

Paul,

I was born there, but Dad quit his job at Cypress Gardens for an advertising job in Baltimore and relocated us. My great Aunt Johnette still lives there. When I was really young my great Uncle Glen used to take me sailing on his little hobie on one of the local lakes (Lake Elbert, I think). He kept his other, bigger boat somewhere near Tampa and sailed it in the Gulf. The rest of the family has relocated to Bradenton/Sarasota area, but Aunt Johnette loves Winter Haven and won't leave anytime soon. If you have a question about a particular neighborhood, let me know and I'll ask her about it.

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"

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pwhallon
Admiral

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USA
694 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2002 : 20:29:07

Thanks Tray,

I'll keep that in mind.

Paul

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