Halifax or Victoria? Who's Been to both?

[FSTO]

Having said all that, I have been posted both ashore and afloat on both coasts and will state this without hesitation:  Canada has two navies.  We dress alike and we paint our ships the same colour, but after that, the differences start to emerge.  There are good thing and bad things about how the Navy works on each coast, but my preference is East.  I find I like the Navy better there.  In my view, the East Coasters seem to have a better sense of what's really important and the West Coast gets too wrapped around the axle about things that really aren't that big a deal.  I had a lot more fun on the East Coast then I did on the West.

And what is that? Or is this the old "Operational Navy vs the Training Navy?'. I found that the East Coast is too set in its ways and not as receptive to new ideas and concepts. For example Naval Boarding Party Training. I found that NOS Halifax was indifferent or even hostile to getting more realistic in our training and in the end we basically forced CEASS down their throat.

This is only my observation but it has left a lasting effect on me.

 

[jollyjacktar]

And what is that? Or is this the old "Operational Navy vs the Training Navy?'. I found that the East Coast is too set in its ways and not as receptive to new ideas and concepts. For example Naval Boarding Party Training. I found that NOS Halifax was indifferent or even hostile to getting more realistic in our training and in the end we basically forced CEASS down their throat.

This is only my observation but it has left a lasting effect on me.

I'll back Pusser on this one.  I found out in BC they worry about chickenshit stuff.  Are your boots shiny enough? Are your creases sharp enough.  God forbid if the students marching from the school to barracks are not swinging their arms correctly.  It seemed to me that they were more focused on crap than not for starters.  The WC seem to have a large BC Pine inserted where it sohould not be.  You're either Left or Right coast.  I'm  a Westerner and miss the countryside, but would pull pin if they wanted to post me out there.

The WC can be the lead coast for things training/operational wise sure.  But just because it works for you out there does not mean that it works for us here.  The ST(P) and ST(A) are prime examples.  I have done workups under the whip of both gangs.  You would think that we were in two different.

 

[Sub_Guy]

And yet the only two times that some CPO picked me up for something dress related have been in Halifax.

I have sailed on both coasts, and now I am in the Air Force, clearly neither one made an impression on me.  Although I did find that the guys out west to be younger and open to newer things, while the guys out east to be old and stuck in the cold war era (things probably have changed now though).  I also noticed the drinking (at the time) was much heavier out east.  I recall port visits (east) where the "cave" was packed with people, then a year later I was out west and the cave would be a ghost town first night in.

Are they different, yes.

Should anyone make a decision on what coast they want from reading this thread, no.

 

[gcclarke]

If I was a single hetrosexual male, I would choose Halifax. The locals are "friendlier". being in the Navy generally won't cause a young lady to stop talking to you. This can indeed happen in Victoria. Am I am no longer single, I am quite glad to be in Victoria, with my girlfriend who I imported from Halifax (Well, Dartmouth). The weather is much much much better, imho, as I am really not a big fan of snow. I can deal with it being mostly cloudy for the entirety of the winter months as a trade off. As well, it doesn't get nearly as humid, although it can still get hot in summer.

There are more things to do around Victoria, unless you're talking about drinking. Again, yes, the bar scene is better on the east coast, but let's face it, that gets old real quick, and is a terrible reason to pick where you're living, especially when doing something like choosing home port divisions, which are rather difficult to change.

I can't really speak much to the "two navy" thing, as I only did my ashore training and something like 9 weeks of sea time on the east coast.

Hmmm what else? Ahhh, you can actually obtain parking at CFB Esquimalt without having to have an insane amount of time in.

 

[BernDawg]

25+ yrs in the CF, lived all over this great country of ours, including both coasts.  I chose to retire in BC.  :2c:

 

[jollyjacktar]

The West does have it all over the East beauty wise, I agree.  I grew up at the start of the Foothills in Southern Alberta and miss the mountains and the countryside out to the coast to this day, and I'll always will.  The weather is different here too, but honestly Winter here is not really that bad.  I'll eat some snow for the sunshine that comes here.  The grey skys I experienced in BC for weeks on end made me want to hang myself after a while.

The biggest difference I find between here and there though is the people.  I find people more friendly and receptive here in comparison.  Walking down the boardwalk from the Base to downtown Vic, you come across folks walking the other direction.  I would greet them as custom here and get a WTF are you looking at/speaking to me reaction damn near every time.  Turns you off after a while.

DH is correct though.  One should not make a determination on left or right coast from reading this thread.  As you can see, individual experiences vary and you really need to make up your own mind from being there to be fair to both places.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

The most wonderful posting makes little difference if something occurs to sour you against that base. One bad situation and it will matter little what kind of a nightlife the area has or perks. When you are posted, do your research but come to your posting with an open attitude. I always found asking for opinions will sub consciously make you favour one over the other and in my humble opinion you only make things harder for yourself.

 

[CallOfDuty]

  Whats the driving situation like in Esquaimalt?  Here in Halifax, we've got the bridges...traffic....minimal parking available in the dockyard etc,etc.
  If you are from Halifax, have a home here, family and everything, do they still ask you where you want your home port division to be?  I've been in Halifax my whole life, but we'd love to move to BC.

 

[Pusser]

Most sailors in Esquimalt tend to live in the western communities or up the Malahat and both have horrendous traffic issues to contend with in order to get into the base/dockyard.  However, parking is considerably better in Esqumalt than Halifax.  The only way to really avoid traffic though is to actually live in Esquimalt, which although cheaper than Victoria, can still be pretty expensive.

 

[Lumber]

Most sailors in Esquimalt tend to live in the western communities or up the Malahat and both have horrendous traffic issues to contend with in order to get into the base/dockyard.  However, parking is considerably better in Esqumalt than Halifax.  The only way to really avoid traffic though is to actually live in Esquimalt, which although cheaper than Victoria, can still be pretty expensive.

I would also say (and some might disagree, fine), that Esquimalt isn't as nice as some of the other areas in Greater Vic (Oak Bay, Mt. Douglas, Highlands, Langford/Colwood, Sooke). It's not a slum or anything!, but if you don't mind traffic and a bit of commute, I think living outside Esquimalt is the way to go.

Don't even get me started on traffic/driving habits and ability of victoria/victoria drivers.... :threat:

 

[Pusser]

I'm with you Lumber on the driving habits/ability of most Victorians.  However, I do have to say that comparing Oak Bay to Esquimalt is unfair.  Those two worlds are simply too  different.

Esquimalt has a reputation it does not deserve.  Like anyplace there are some parts that are not great, but there are other parts that are gorgeous and there are even a few million dollar homes there (along the Gorge).  For all its faults, the municipality also runs a pretty decent recreation program and the garbage collectors even go into your yard to get the cans (i.e. you don't actually have to put it out on the curb).  It's close to everything (sorry, I hate commuting and traffic), but most services that you want are available locally.  Everything else is just across the bridge in Victoria.

Sooke is fine if you like to drive for everything.  Remember that this a place that bragged for years that it only had one traffic light (now it has at least two).

Langford?  You cannot compare Esquimalt to Langford.  Langford is to Victoria what Spryfield is to Halifax.  You're not allowed to live in Langford unless you drive a pick-up truck, preferably an old one, and wear flannel plaid. ;D

 

[FSTO]

I think that it has been quite awhile since you have been to MARPAC Pusser.

View Royal, Colwood, Western Communities and especially Langford have really cleaned themselves up. The Langford council have pushed especially hard to get retail and business to locate in their area. The downtown is a pedestrian friendly place that I would have no problem living in.
When I was on the coast we lived between Maple Bay and Duncan. I commuted to work with 7 other people using VANPOOL. We all worked at Dockyard so it was very convenient. I would drive in the morning and another fella would drive home. I was usually sound asleep by Esquimalt Graving dock and would wakeup just outside of Duncan. Fantastic!
I was in MARLANT from 91 - 94, is Spryfield still the same or has it changed in 16 years?

 

[navymich]

Cory 13,

Home is where you make it.  As mentioned several times already, there are pros and cons to both coasts.  You will only worry yourself sick if you start trying to make too many decisions right now.  It is great initiative on your part to start looking into things, but you have several months still before you need to take a serious position. 

Take what everyone here has said and file it in that back deep corner of your brain.  Concentrate on getting through BMQ and then on to your 3's course.  Take the opportunity of being on course out west to talk to people and explore the town.  Note what you like and what you don't like and figure out exactly what you are looking for (accommodations, nightlife, family, sports etc) .  Then compare your list to Halifax info (talk to people, visit if you can)  THEN make an educated choice.  But always be prepared to accept whatever they tell you.  Being young and single, there is always the chance that you are more likely to go where the numbers are needed vice a married with family who might already be settled one side or the other.

All the best with your future, ready aye ready!

 

[Pusser]

I think that it has been quite awhile since you have been to MARPAC Pusser.

View Royal, Colwood, Western Communities and especially Langford have really cleaned themselves up. The Langford council have pushed especially hard to get retail and business to locate in their area. The downtown is a pedestrian friendly place that I would have no problem living in.
When I was on the coast we lived between Maple Bay and Duncan. I commuted to work with 7 other people using VANPOOL. We all worked at Dockyard so it was very convenient. I would drive in the morning and another fella would drive home. I was usually sound asleep by Esquimalt Graving dock and would wakeup just outside of Duncan. Fantastic!
I was in MARLANT from 91 - 94, is Spryfield still the same or has it changed in 16 years?

No actually, I just left.  I don't think it's changed that much in two years!  Sorry if I went off the deep end on Langford.  I just get a little uppity when folks start trashing Esquimalt.  Most folks I've met who tend to trash Esquimalt rarely spend any time there (and yes, I did spend quite a bit of time in Langford - my brother lived there).  I hear you on Langford bringing in all the business, but it's worth noting that a lot of it is big box stores, but I won't get into the debate as to whether that's bad thing or not.

 

[The_Unabooboo]

From what I can gather from this thread, I should not find either that bad.  But then I grew up in Oahawa ON, so even Montreal would be charming.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

For someone from Oshawa to diss Montreal is to like living dangerously, especially when you can't even write the name of your town properly.

 

[dimsum]

If you want skiing, golfing, surfing, general outdoorsy stuff, go to BC.  Yeah, it's expensive, but there's a reason people generally move out there and don't really want to leave. 

On my last move from a few years of bouncing around Canada (I'm from ON, in case anyone was thinking I'm biased), I grinned like an idiot once I drove across the AB/BC border  ;D

After talking up BC, I guess it's time for me to eat my hat.  Word is that I'm going to Shearwater (community change thanks to Aurora course being bumped for KAF deployment; probably the best "silver lining" to happen to me in uniform) and since my military experience has been 90% west coast (except for a month of sailing out of Halifax and some time in Winnipeg), I don't honestly know HRM very well, besides vague recollections of Pizza Corner at 3am.  I hear there's a decent Dimsum place (har har) there, right?

However, the house price difference between Halifax and Victoria is jaw-droppingly shocking.  My box in Comox would be a decent condo in downtown Halifax!

 

[h3tacco]

Dimsum,

Welcome to the community. I grew up in Vancouver but spent the last few years in Shearwater.

Decent dimsum... that depends... nothing compared to Richmond but there a few places that serve dimsum and are passable.

Are you coming post 407 tour or pre-OTU?

 

[dimsum]

Dimsum,

Welcome to the community. I grew up in Vancouver but spent the last few years in Shearwater.

Decent dimsum... that depends... nothing compared to Richmond but there a few places that serve dimsum and are passable.

Are you coming post 407 tour or pre-OTU?

Thanks.  I've had dimsum from Winnipeg so anything equalling that is fine!  I'm pre-OTU.  I got posted to 407, but as I got there I got detached to KAF; when I got back, I asked to switch.