I'm going to agree with Geordie on this one, the marina is horrible! Built up, full of construction, nothing natural, no view of the sky, basically like a bunch of hotels. And your commute would suck.

If you're looking for an expat safety net, there are tons in Jumeirah (much closer) or even Bur Dubai, which is really close.

You could always come along to the expat forum drinks to make friends