By M. Leo Doucet

It’s hard to believe it was over 20 years ago, but I can still remember the excitement like it was yesterday. Our young family was preparing to move to Hawaii! The Canadian winters were getting too cold and long for our liking, and while we were searching for a new adventure, the warmer climates looked very attractive.

Since my wife was a nurse she was able to secure employment at a large hospital in Honolulu after getting the required license and work visa. Our children were young at the time and I was homeschooling them so that gave us the flexibility we needed to make such a big move.

Having grown up in Canada, the first winter in Hawaii was a little strange. Rolling into the fall, September, October, November… and still no fall colors and falling leaves to mark the changing seasons? And Christmas Day on the beach… that was a real mind-bender. It was curious to realize what a profound effect the seasons play in our lives.

Another thing we noticed were the similarities and the contrasts in clothing, sports and outdoor activities. Snowboarding and surfing both involve balancing on a board on a large quantity of water – only one is liquid and the other, not so much. While flip flops and swimming trunks will suffice most of the time in Hawaii, the shear volume of clothing, protective gear, and equipment required in Alaska can be overwhelming. Fortunately the second-hand stores are a treasure of affordable outfitting. And for the Gearheads that need to get their adrenaline fix on a machine, many of the same manufactures of snowmobiles also make Jetskis!

Why we left Hawaii

While we enjoyed the beaches and sunsets in winter, we were not used to the tropical heat in summer. Some say you can’t have too much of a good thing, but when the trade winds stop blowing, it can get HOT in Hawaii! After three years of the island life we began to miss the four seasons – and yes – the snow! There were a lot of factors to consider before leaving Hawaii, and one of the primary reasons, especially raising a family on one income, was the state income and sales taxes. After exhaustive research (remember we were homeschooling) we were ready to begin a new adventure and meet Hawaii’s Soul Sister… Alaska!

We wanted to experience the deep snow and exciting winter sports in Alaska’s great outdoors and our first winter didn’t disappoint! The annual snowfall in Valdez, Alaska is 326 inches a year (yes, that’s INCHES, not centimeters!) so our first winter we quickly learned how much fun, and how much work snow can be.

Soul Sisters

We call Hawaii and Alaska Soul Sisters as, despite their obvious differences, they share many similarities. They’re physically separated from the rest of the other 48 states and are often referred to ‘the outside’. With this physical separation, residents have developed a bit of ethnocentricity with the rest of the nation, while simultaneously a camaraderie between the two states. There are many Snowbirds that call Alaska or Hawaii their primary residence, but there are some distinct differences that should be considered.

People that live in the northern climates in summer, but spend winter in tropical climates like Hawaii are often referred to as Snowbirds. But here’s a pro tip; it’s considerably more cost- effective to have your residency in Alaska by living there six months (plus one day) and spending the winter in Hawaii than the other way around. Hawaii’s state personal income tax is the highest in the nation. Alaska on the other hand, not only has no personal income tax or sales tax, but Alaskan residents also receive an annual dividend from the Alaskan Permanent Fund (PFD). This is an investment fund the oil producers pay into for the benefit of Alaskan residents. Since the annual PFD is distributed evenly to all registered residents, it can make a big difference in a family’s budget. [As a side note I consider this the ‘Alaskan Resident’s Sanity Tax’ on the state… it’s like they pay you to take a short vacation in the winter so you don’t go crazy in the long, dark winter.]

One of the first objections I often hear is the high cost of living in Hawaii. Yes, it can be very expensive, but like most places there is the full spectrum. If you want to live in a high-end condo in Honolulu you need to be prepared to pay the price. Especially if it will be your second home and you’re maintaining a home on the mainland. However, it is possible to spend winters in Hawaii on a modest budget. For example, the Big Island of Hawaii offers much more affordable housing and property prices. With a bit of effort, a well cared for garden can provide a lot of fresh produce for a family, in addition to the plentiful Farmer’s Markets that offer affordable and delicious tropical produce.

Another cost-saving idea for Digital Nomads and others that aren’t tied to a traditional 9-5 job in our post-covid world, is to have a van or a Recreational Vehicle on the mainland for the summers. You can avoid the high expense of owning and maintaining a home that’s only used for half of the year. You simply store your home-on-wheels on the mainland while you spend your winters in Hawaii.

The other way to offset the high cost of housing in is to rent out your Hawaiian home while you’re enjoying Alaska’s summer. There are regulations that require you to have a property management company on the island if you’re going to rent your home so that added expense will need to be taken into consideration. However, it reduces the stress considerably knowing your home, and your tenants, will be well taken care of.

When you consider these ideas together, it becomes clear that you don’t need to be rich, or retired to enjoy the Snowbird lifestyle. You only need to be creative, flexible, and adaptable. And for those who need to find employment to cover expenses, there’s plenty of seasonal employers that are always looking for temporary workers.

Fast forward 20 years and the children have grown up and moved out and we’ve begun a new chapter of life as ‘empty nesters’. Like many before me, my ability to enjoy the endless recreational opportunities of Alaska has slowly declined over the years (not to mention the inability to shovel all that snow!) With declining health and retirement getting closer with each passing year, we decided to slowly make the transition to the ‘Snowbird’ lifestyle four years ago. We bought a small condo in Waikiki and I spent the first winter doing a complete renovation. Since most of my work is online I now spend most of the winter in Hawaii and continue to work on our building projects in Alaska during the summer.

For almost 40 years I’ve been a photographer and have had the privilege of traveling the world. I’ve photographed the landscapes, met the people, tasted the foods, and experienced the life- styles of so many different cultures and countries. And I always come back to my favorites… my Soul Sisters… Alaska and Hawaii.

About the write:

Leo is a freelance Photographer/Writer based in… you guessed it; Alaska and Hawaii. With a Bachelor of Fine Art in Photography at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC, he’s worked as reporter/photographer, a commercial printer, and a freelance photographer for almost 40 years. He’s now a semi-retired Snowbird and spends his time between Alaska and Hawaii (and visiting grandchildren).

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