As others have said, it looks like a type of kelp called Turkish Towel. Although, I thought it was a Nudibranch for a moment. Which would have been a cool find.

While gold is a good conductor, silver and copper are both better conductors and considerably more abundant. The main reason we use gold is because it doesn't corrode or oxidize.

https://www.scienceabc.com/pure-sciences/copper-conducts-electricity-better-use-gold-electronics.html

Port Orchard might lean conservative, but The State of Washington and its policies are very liberal compared to what someone from Georgia would be accustomed to. That could be seen as a good or a bad thing depending on a person's political leanings.

Yeah, not the same as going to your favorite spot during a summer night while someone plays music on the patio and the fireflies flicker. The main thing I miss about the south is the food.

Yeah, definitely not talking something like Korean BBQ, which Washington has plenty of good examples of.

Having lived in GA and WA, I can tell you they are vastly different in culture and climate. It really depends on what your personal preferences are. WA is temperate and rainy with a rather liberal culture. It is a great state to live in, but you won't find sweet tea, grits, or good BBQ.

Edit: One thing to consider is that the pay may be a little better at a WA job, but the cost of living is pretty high in WA state compared to GA. Make sure it actually pencils out to be a better financial move for you.

I actually lived next to an old pioneer cemetery on the West Coast. They had piles of old broken gravestones back in the grounds keeping area. A couple hundred years of weather can break just about anything down.