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An anniversary of resilience

An anniversary of resilience

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

When Hurricane Helene struck the Anna Maria Island com­munities on Sept. 26, 2024, it brought with it a storm surge and level of destruction that the area hasn’t witnessed since 1921 when the Tampa Bay/Tarpon Springs hur­ricane struck.

Back then the islands weren’t heavily populated, but Cortez, then a vibrant fishing village, was all but wiped out. The waterfront was devastated and fish houses, boats and docks destroyed. During that storm, residents took refuge in the brick Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse, which today houses the Florida Maritime Museum.

The museum, which is closed for repairs from the effects of Helene, displays artifacts, photographs, charts and personal stories from that event. Their digital collection includes “Caught in the Storm: 100 Years of Hurricanes in Florida,” which covers the 1921 storm. That collection will likely be updated to include Helene and Milton.

On Anna Maria Island, the anniver­sary of Hurricane Helene and Milton will take its place in history alongside the hurricane of 1921, but it will also highlight how people pulled together, all views and politics aside, to rise to the challenge.

AMI Outfitters on Pine Street in Anna Maria was one of the many business on the Island that suffered major damage. “It’s hard to believe we’re approaching the one-year an­niversary of the hurricanes,” owners Dave and Jennifer Hagey said. “After being closed for 65 days to rebuild, we chose to view the damage as an opportunity to reset, just like the rest of the Island.

With incredible support from our community, we reopened and ended 2024 with our best year yet. From loyal customers showing up on Black Friday, to The Center of Anna Maria Island rallying volunteers, to Mayor Mark Short’s dedication, we were lifted by the people around us. A special thanks to Issa Homes for matching donations that helped small businesses like ours recover faster. Because of this support, we’re proud to celebrate our strongest year in 13 years of AMI Outfitters.”

Local fishing guide, resident and father Capt. Dave White was also negatively affected by the storms, but chooses to focus on his gratitude to others.

“A year later, reflecting on the impact of the storms, it’s very easy to be grateful for the placid September that we’ve had so far,” he said. “While the fishing was exceptional last fall, we had no clients calling to take advantage whatsoever. With the Island still in shambles, the outlook seemed very bleak at the time.

I created a discounted gift card opportunity for my repeat customers in order to generate revenue to pay my mortgage and help support my three little girls. This enabled me to get by until we had some tourist traffic in February and March. Some of us received a little economic boost from organizations like Suncoast Waterkeeper and the International Gamefish Association.

While many of us are still digging out from under the debt we slid into from the fall, we’re all hopeful for a busy spring season to climb back on top of the hill with a greater sense of accomplishment for overcoming the adversity of last year. It’s not a job that you can rest on your laurels and be frivolous about, financially. But I can’t see myself doing anything else!”

Many iconic structures like the Rod and Reel Pier, Annie’s Bait and Tackle and the Cortez net camp were lost to the storms, while others like the Anna Maria City Pier were heavily dam­aged, but it’s the sense of community and the way friends, neighbors and businesses pulled together to support each other that will remain as the lasting impression.

County changes historical property oversight

County changes historical property oversight

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Tourism.

CORTEZ – A proposal to shift the oversight of historical properties from the Manatee County Clerk’s Office to the Sports and Leisure Division was contested by those in the historical community at a Sept. 12 Manatee County Board of Commissioners meeting. It didn’t stop a majority of commissioners from voting in favor of the change.

Properties affected by the change in management include the Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) in Cortez, Manatee Village Historical Park, Manatee County Historical Records Library, Manatee County Agricultural Museum, and Palmetto Historical Park.

“Have we had any complaints that these properties are presently not being run adequately under the clerk’s office?” Commissioner George Kruse asked. “I don’t understand why we’re doing this.”

Commissioner Amanda Ballard said she felt “we could do better.”

“It seems like it’s been rushed in here,” Kruse said. “No one can tell me why we’re doing this except the opinion that quote unquote it could be done better. Somebody has to tell me why we’re doing this today. And not being presented to us in a manner that we can actually make an intelligent vote on this?”

A motion to approve Historical Resources to be managed under Sports and Leisure Services Department was made by Commissioner Ray Turner and seconded by Commissioner Mike Rahn.

Manatee County Deputy Director Sports and Leisure Services Molly White narrated a PowerPoint presentation at the meeting.

“We feel there is an opportunity to have a more impactful reach to our residents and visitors by moving these locations under the management of sports and leisure services. This will create a streamlined marketing approach and increase in growth in programs and initiatives to better serve our residents,” she said.

More than a dozen speakers who were not in favor of the change spoke, including Cindy Rodgers and Karen Bell representing two Cortez-based non-profits dedicated to the historical preservation of the fishing village.

“The Historical Society was founded in 1984 to document the history of Cortez, educate the public on the living history of our working fishing village, and protect the important historic resources of our National Historic District. Due to the community’s historic preservation efforts, Cortez is a popular tourist destination,” Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS) president Cindy Rodgers said. “One of the things that ties the history together for both residents and visitors is the Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez. The museum opened in 2007 and has developed into a valuable educational resource.”

CVHS has co-sponsored multiple public events with the FMM.

“We’ve observed a high level of professionalism, creativity and commitment on the part of the staff,” Rodgers said, adding that Manatee County’s historic resources are well-run.

“We are particularly appreciative of the Manatee County Historical Records Library, which has painstakingly preserved and cataloged all of the key historical resources under the county’s purview,” she said. “It makes sense that the county clerk’s office, which is responsible for maintaining most of the key public records for the county including deeds, marriage licenses and construction documents, has the expertise and experience to successfully manage our historic records and resources.”

She expressed concern about the proposal to “uproot the Historic Resources Department” and move it to the Sports and Leisure Department.

“The PowerPoint suggests that management and public use of our historic resources would improve under this sweeping change in administration,” Rodgers said. “That is an interesting perspective and one that deserves a full public airing if commissioners and others have concerns about the current situation.”

She asked for commissioners to defer action until there is a full public accounting of the costs and benefits of such a change.

Karen Bell, a board member of The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH), also spoke in support of the FMM and recounted some of its history.

“We met with Ernie Padgett, who was the county administrator at the time, and we asked him if we could write a grant to purchase the Maritime Museum, which at the time was the 1912 schoolhouse. Bob Sailors lived there – he had died and his estate was willing to sell to us,” Bell said. “We put together a grant application in 10 days, submitted it, we were in the top 10 and we were awarded the money. So, the funds to purchase the Maritime Museum came from the state of Florida and the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage. We put $20,000 into the purchase.”

Bell told the commissioners the importance of sharing that story.

“That’s our museum,” she said. “That’s our history. We have our families’ artifacts in there. So, for this to be brought upon us with no notice, nobody even shared with us that this was a consideration. It’s hard for me to understand how that can be when we have a partnership with county. So please, take time before you do something drastic. It works well.”

Bell said people from around the world visit the museum and stop at AP Bell Fish House as the last stop during village walking tours.

“It’s so different from what they see in other places in Florida,” Bell said.

The motion passed by a 6-1 vote with Kruse in opposition.

Christmas comes to Cortez

Christmas comes to Cortez

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – There was plenty of holiday cheer, and even the near 80-degree weather couldn’t stop kids from sledding down a snowy hill that magically appeared in the parking lot of the Florida Maritime Museum.

Who says you can’t enjoy some snow in Florida? Jason Schaffer | Sun

Saturday, Dec. 4 was the first-ever Christmas in Cortez event hosted by the Florida Maritime Museum and The Cortez Cultural Center.

“We get tourists from the Island and all these other people, but we wanted to do something a little more for the locals. I’m hoping all these kids and families will remember this fun event, come for many years and care about our heritage for the future,” said Tori Chasey, supervisor of the museum.

Christmas comes to Cortez
There were plenty of games and prizes including this ball game that was especially popular with the kids. Jason Schaffer | Sun

The Manatee County Clerk’s Historical Resources Department and The Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum are the driving forces behind this event, according to Chasey, who also thanked the many partners who came to participate. Partners included: Manatee County Public Library, Manatee County Water Conservation, Manatee County Parks and Recreation, Early Learning Coalition and even the Coast Guard who talked to children about water and boating safety.

Christmas comes to Cortez
Members of The Coast Guard talk to children about water and boating safety. Jason Schaffer | Sun

For the children, it was all about the fun and games. From candy cane tattoos to carnival games, there was plenty to do, including a two-lane snow slide thanks to Santa, who was generous enough to fly down some fresh snow from the north pole, since it can be a little tough to come by in Cortez. Not only did Santa help with the snow, he happily spent one-on-one time with all the children who excitedly waited to tell him what they want for Christmas.

Cortez Cultural Center to host Veteran's Day salute

Cortez Cultural Center to host music, arts events

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Family fun, Museums, Music.

CORTEZ – The Cortez Cultural Center, 11655 Cortez Road W., invites everyone to enjoy its fall events, including Music on the Porch, an Arts and Crafts sale and a Veteran’s Day Weekend Salute.

Open to the public every Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the center hosts Music on the Porch with local musicians who welcome others to jam with them at the tiki hut located between the center and the Florida Maritime Museum next to the Bonefish Bridge on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month.

An Arts and Crafts Sale is set for Saturday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring local artists and their paintings, prints, colorful crafts, hand-crafted jewelry, baked goods, books and more.

A Veteran’s Day Weekend Salute in November will feature a tribute to Cortez veteran Albert Few Jr., who passed away this summer at the age of 100. The commercial fishing village of Cortez is home to veterans who have served in all branches of the U.S. military, and the organization showcases the impacts of those who went to war as well as those who went to sea to fish; many did both.

The center has an extensive collection of historical records related to the rich history of Cortez and its residents, including artifacts, books, documents, records and other items related to the families and individuals who have shaped Cortez, past and present. 

Visitors are welcome to stroll through the FISH Preserve next to the center, formerly a 1940s Bradenton Beach cottage that has been relocated and repurposed into an exhibit space. Admission is free.

Public input sought on museum changes

Public input sought on museum changes

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Featured.

CORTEZ – The Florida Maritime Museum is planning a redesign and is inviting public comment on its conceptual plan daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Saturday, Dec. 14, with a tour offered on Saturday at 10 a.m.

The plan was designed by The Creative Pool, an exhibit design firm that has worked in Tarpon Springs, another maritime community, Florida Maritime Museum Supervisor Kristin Sweeting said.

The Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum, the non-profit which supports the museum, hired the company to produce the plan, which includes new exhibits on Florida’s working waterfront communities using Cortez “as a lens to tell those stories,” she said. “The goal is to add content but not take away Cortez.”

Visitors to the museum at 4415 119th St. W. will notice that some changes already have been made, including the removal of the children’s play area named for longtime volunteer Sam Bell, which is now an exhibit featuring the U.S. Coast Guard.

Bell’s widow, Kaye Bell, said the museum informed her of the change but did not grant her request to leave his photo displayed for his children and grandchildren.

Bell is a member of the Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS), which operates the Cortez Cultural Center near the museum. Along with members of FISH (the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage), the Cortez community and Manatee County officials, members of CVHS lent support to establish the museum, formerly the 1912 Cortez Rural Graded School, to preserve the history of the Cortez commercial fishing industry.

“We are still planning on honoring Sam in another portion of the museum,” Sweeting said, adding that the play area was seldom used, as most museum visitors are adults. An education room containing the museum’s library will be created in another part of the museum to serve families, she said.

While many decisions have yet to be made, two large exhibits will stay on permanent exhibit, Sweeting said – the pole skiff built by Cortezian N.E. Taylor in 1932 and the vintage red wooden door that was once the front door of the building.

Smaller exhibits, including handmade dioramas portraying net fishing, may no longer be on permanent display, but rotated with other exhibits, she said.

“Some artifacts will come off display and go into storage while others will come in,” Sweeting said.

Other ideas are to divide the shell collection, which is now in one place, and display it throughout the museum, add oral history videos to some exhibits and translate written explanations of exhibits into Spanish.

The conceptual plan for the museum’s “re-imagining” also features a different floor plan, guiding visitors in one direction through the museum and out through the gift shop, instead of offering two paths near the entrance, Sweeting said.

After the plan is finalized, work is expected to begin in mid-2020 with funding from a Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs grant, she said.

To offer input on proposed changes at the museum or to register to take a tour on Saturday, Dec. 14, call 941-708-6120.

Museum spotlights Coast Guard

Museum spotlights Coast Guard

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Entertainment, Featured, Museums.

CORTEZ – Members of the crew of Coast Guard Station Cortez gave Florida Maritime Museum visitors an overview last week of the history and mission of the service and what they and their shipmates do each day.

The museum is hosting an exhibit, “Always Ready: United States Coast Guard in Florida,” through May 26.

Museum spotlights Coast Guard
A model of a 41-foot utility boat at U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez by Charles H. Smith. – Cindy Lane | Sun

The Coast Guard’s predecessor organization was formed in 1789 to tend lighthouses; the Coast Guard was established a year later with missions including tariff enforcement, smuggling interdiction, coastline chart making and quarantine enforcement, said Petty Officer Charles Richter, Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class.

The U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez was established in 1974 in the 1890s Albion Inn in the Cortez fishing village. In 1992, its present facility was built across the street from the inn (which was later moved) and can withstand winds up to 105 mph and an 8-foot storm surge. 35 crew members are stationed in Cortez. Their jurisdiction extends from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to Gasparilla Island.

The modern Coast Guard was created in 1915, serving in World War I, then enforcing Prohibition beginning in 1919. In World War II the service was involved in Pearl Harbor, D-Day and other major battles, producing a Medal of Honor recipient, Douglas Munro, who saved 500 Marines, he said.

In 1957, a Coast Guard icebreaking cutter made the first northwest passage transit, Richter said. During the Vietnam War, patrol boats blocked enemy forces from receiving supplies.

In recent times, the Coast Guard has intercepted a floating 1959 Buick carrying Cuban refugees, as well as intercepting refugees from Haiti and Central America, Petty Officer Whitney Drake, Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class, told the group.

The U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez and the Humane Society of Manatee County will present the “Welcome Aboard!” dog adoption event on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W. in Cortez. Em“bark” on a new voyage by bringing home your newest adventure partner!

In 1973, the service performed its first counterdrug operation, has participated in chemical and oil cleanups, including the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon disasters, and responded to the Twin Towers on 9/11, she said.

Under the Department of Homeland Security since 2003, the Coast Guard’s missions include fisheries law enforcement, maintenance of aids to navigation, marine safety, port security, drug interdiction, search and rescue, defense readiness, migrant interdiction, marine environment protection, ice operations and law enforcement.

With 41,598 on active duty, the Coast Guard also has 7,997 reservists, 8,342 civilians and 31,419 auxiliary members.

The group learned that each day, on average, the Coast Guard:

  • Saves 10 lives
  • Performs four search and rescue operations
  • Saves $1.2 million in property
  • Seizes 874 pounds of cocaine and 214 pounds of marijuana
  • Intercepts 17 illegal immigrants
  • Escorts five high-capacity vessels such as cruise ships and ferries
  • Makes 24 security boardings for life jackets and other equipment
  • Screens 360 merchant vessels for drugs and human trafficking
  • Makes 14 fisheries conservation boardings
  • Services 82 buoys a day
  • Investigates 35 pollution incidents
  • Completes 26 safety inspections of foreign vessels

Museum visitors also saw a demonstration of personal safety items, including a ring buoy and EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons), which crew members encouraged boaters to carry, and learned about how to retain as much heat as possible if stranded in cold water by pulling legs and arms close to the body.

More information about Coast Guard operations in Florida is on display at the museum.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author to speak

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

There has never been a more important time for residents of our Gulf coast region to understand the importance of the resource that brought us to the area and that fuels both our passion and our economy. This March, we’ll have the opportunity to learn about the history of our coast, the forces that shaped it and the threats that have transformed it from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jack Davis.

Jack Davis’s new novel, “The Gulf, The Making of An American Sea” is the grand, sweeping history of the whole Gulf of Mexico that can give insight into the need to protect the natural bounty we are surrounded by. Davis, a history professor at the University of Florida, won the Pulitzer Prize for history in 2018 and will be on hand at The Seafood Shack on Thursday, March 14 at 6 p.m. for a Fishing for Our Future fundraising event for the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author to speak
Participants at the Seafood Shack fundraising event will get a chance to meet the Pulitzer Prize-winning author while supporting the Florida Maritime Museum in Cortez. – Submitted

The dinner and author talk are a tremendous opportunity to learn from and ask questions of one of the most engaging authors I’ve read in many years. As I mentioned in a book review in a prior column, I have been captivated with the beauty and the fish that surround us and reading “Gulf” has expanded my vision of the coastal resources we are blessed with and given me the insight to see it with new eyes. For me reading “The Gulf” shined a brighter light on what we have, what we’ve lost and the importance of protecting it.

From the geological beginnings to the present day, we learn the history of the nearly 8 million acres and the native Americans that first inhabited it, followed by the Spanish explorers, the French, British and Cubans. The descriptions of the vast schools of fish and flocks of birds that would blacken the sky hint at the incredible diversity and density of marine life and wildlife that once inhabited the Gulf and its estuaries.

Davis recounts how the tarpon, not warm weather and white sand beaches, brought the first tourists to Florida. The great silver fish was the impetus that introduced wealthy adventurers, artists and, indirectly, a wave of tourists to the Gulf coast. The influx of humans into the Gulf region in the 1800s began a period of intense exploitation that continues to this day.

Davis recounts records of armed passenger tourists on the Ocklawaha River that shot birds and wildlife indiscriminately for sport. At the same time, the plume trade was responsible for the killing of huge numbers of birds Gulf-wide. During this same period, the harvesting of eggs from seabird nests exacerbated the decline of the once-vast flocks of birds. Davis paints a picture with words that makes it hard to overstate the effects of this dark period. Fortunately, the resulting outcry from conservationists and birders resulted in the creation of 51 bird sanctuaries and the founding of the National Audubon Society. Passage Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay is one of those sanctuaries.

As the history of the Gulf unfolded, the exploitation moved from birds to oil and then chemicals that devastated the coastal estuaries of Louisiana and Mississippi. Davis recounts the effects of pulp mills, oil spills and hurricanes before the rush of development that resulted in massive dredge and fill operations. “The Gulf” serves as a cautionary tale of the importance of protecting, preserving and enhancing the place we call home. The opportunity to meet Davis in person is one not to be missed.

For sponsorship and ticket information, visit The Florida Maritime Museum online. Ticket prices start at $45 and all proceeds up to $34,000 will be matched and benefit The Florida Maritime Museum.

More Real Time:

Reel Time: Clams restored to Manatee County waters

Reel Time: Push poles – a must in skinny water

Reel Time: A new direction for Florida’s marine environment

John Stevely

Sponge talk absorbing

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

CORTEZ – John Stevely holds up a two-toned, blue kitchen pot scrubber.

“This is not a sponge,” he declares.

The manmade commercial product is not as absorbent, durable or sustainable as the real thing, the retired Florida Sea Grant marine biologist told listeners at the Florida Maritime Museum on Wednesday.

Stevely, a board member of FISH (the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage), will give short Dock Talks on marine-related subjects at the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival the weekend of Feb. 16-17.

His talk on sponges was the highlight of the museum’s recent display of sponges from Tarpon Springs, the epicenter of sponge diving in Florida.

sponges
The Florida Maritime Museum displays fruits of the Tarpon Springs sponge diving industry. – Cindy Lane | Sun

The reason natural sponges work better than artificial ones is that they are built to force water into and out of themselves – that’s how they feed, Stevely said. A sponge could fill a residential swimming pool in a day with the amount of water it pumps, all to get about one ounce of nourishment.

Natural sponges can be broken off without killing the whole animal, much like stone crabs can survive having a leg removed.

It doesn’t get more renewable than that, he said.

Sponges are the skeletons of animals, Stevely said, and also are a place where other animals live.

Gold-brown when dead, living sponges have vivid colors, including purple, orange and yellow, and give the water its color variations, he said.

Natural sponges are the preferred tool for window washers, horse groomers and ceramics makers, who use them to shape the wet clay, he said, noting that they also are better bath sponges than anything else.

Before World War II, sponges were the most productive fishery in Florida, Stevely said, with nearly 600,000 pounds of sponges produced in 1906 (think about how light a sponge is to picture that, he said).

But a sponge disease devastated the crop in Florida in 1938, followed by a red tide in 1947.

Then, synthetic sponges began taking over.

In the 1990s, blue-green algae killed many Florida sponges. Today, both blue-green algae and red tide – both harmful algal blooms (HABs) – continue to threaten the sponge population, even more than hurricanes, he said.

Sponges take years to rebound from these events, he said, naming water quality as their primary threat.

Few sponges live in local waters, but they flourish in west central Florida waters around Tarpon Springs and in southern waters off the Florida Keys. Sponge harvesting is now prohibited in the Keys.

Related coverage

Solve the Cortez history mystery

Community celebrates the coast

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – The Coastal Community Celebration at the Florida Maritime Museum Thursday evening drew more than 100 people to celebrate World Oceans Day (June 8) a day early.

Established at the 1992 Earth Summit and declared an international holiday by the United Nations in 2009, World Oceans Day is a reminder of the importance of the ocean and keeping it healthy.

At the event, kids learned how hard it is to clean a drop of oil out of a pan of water – much less the ocean – looked at a cross section of a hatching sea turtle nest and touched the skull of a loggerhead sea turtle. Adults took in the maritime heritage of the historic Cortez commercial fishing village, including displays of a 1932 pole skiff built in Cortez, and the event of the evening, the grand opening of the Burton/Bratton Store, relocated to the museum grounds and restored as The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum.

1932 pole skiff
Visitors to the Coastal Community Celebration check out a 1932 pole skiff built in Cortez. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Under a palm tree’s shade, Nathan Meschelle demonstrated how to make and mend fishing nets. Inside, people learned “The Meaning Behind Maritime” in a new, interactive exhibit inviting community members to share what “maritime” means to them on 3-by-3 canvases.

Nathan Meschelle
Nathan Meschelle demonstrates net mending on the museum grounds at the Coastal Community Celebration, sponsored by The Anna Maria Island Sun. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Visitors picked up their Cortez passports, which entitles bearers to a free Cortez Explorer jersey-style T-shirt after having their passports stamped at 12 or more participating businesses.

Liza Kubik
Seafood Shack Director of Marketing, Liza Kubik, shows off the Cortez Passport, which will earn bearers a Cortez T-shirt after they visit 12 businesses listed in the passport. – Cindy Lane | Sun

Free passports can be obtained at any participating location: AMI Dolphin Tours, Annie’s Bait & Tackle, Beach’n Rides & Rentals, Bradenton Boat Club, Bunny & Pirates, Cortez Bait & Seafood, Cortez Cafe, Cortez Deep Sea Fishing, Cortez Kitchen, Cortez Surf & Paddle, Cortez Watersports, Flippin’ Mullet Sports Bar, King Triton Excursions, Legend Fishing Charters, O’Shucks Raw Bar & Grill, The Sea Hagg, Seafood Shack, Star Fish Company, Swordfish Grill, The Beach Shop, Tide Tables, Tyler’s Ice Cream, YOLO adventures and WAVES Social Boat Club. The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH), the Cortez Cultural Center and the Florida Maritime Museum and Folk School also are participating in the passport program.

Florida Maritime Museum
The Florida Maritime Museum is in the former Cortez Rural Graded School building on 119th Street West and Cortez Road West. – Cindy Lane | Sun
Coastal Community Celebration

Ocean lovers, dive in to celebrations

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors.

Ocean lovers can celebrate their favorite waters this week at events in Cortez and Palmetto in honor of World Oceans Day.

World Oceans Day – Friday, June 8 – was established at the 1992 Earth Summit, and was declared an international holiday by the United Nations in 2009 as a reminder of how important the ocean is to people everywhere.

The Florida Maritime Museum and Manatee County are offering two ways to participate.

Florida Maritime Museum, Cortez

Join the Coastal Community Celebration on Thursday, June 7 from 6-8 p.m. at the Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez.

During this free, family fun evening, FMM invites the community to celebrate the grand opening of the Burton/Bratton Store by participating in activities for kids and adults.

Beginning at 6 p.m., hear a brief history of the historic store, its importance in Cortez maritime history and its continued legacy as The Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum.

After the ribbon-cutting, wander the museum grounds to find crafts and interactive activities exploring ocean pollution, commercial fishing, sea turtles and more, all relating to the important ecosystem that is the ocean.

Continue your journey inside the museum to discover the new exhibit, “The Meaning Behind Maritime,” where community members reveal what maritime means to them on 3-by-3 canvases. Then add what maritime means to you during your visit.

For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page.

Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources, Palmetto

The Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department will host the second annual World Oceans Day Festival on Saturday, June 9 at Emerson Point Preserve. The free festival will kick off at 9 a.m. and continue until noon.

The festival is a fun, family-friendly event celebrating the salty seas. A variety of free ocean-themed activities will be available for participants to learn about World Oceans Day.

You can dip nets into the waters of the Manatee River and discover the creatures hiding beneath the waves. Learn amazing facts about large marine wildlife, including sea turtles. Play oyster games and explore the history of fishing in Manatee County. Participants also will get a chance to touch a boat and paddle in a kayak.

The festival is a partnership between Manatee County and other water- and ocean-related organizations in Southwest Florida. This year’s partners include the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, IFAS Extension Sea Grant of Manatee County, Florida Maritime Museum, WayneAdventures, Florida Public Archaeology Network and Manatee County’s Environmental Protection Division and Ecological and Marine Services Division.

Emerson Point Preserve, a 365-acre preserve at 5801 17th St. W., Palmetto, is at the mouth of the Manatee River and Tampa Bay where the salt and fresh waters meet as an estuary. The location of the preserve provides Manatee County residents and visitors with a place to relax and enjoy a serene experience, kayaking, fishing and wildlife watching, including osprey, egrets, jumping mullet, raccoons and dolphins.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Cortez Florida Maritime Museum

Museum to host Coastal Community Celebration

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – The Florida Maritime Museum will host its Coastal Community Celebration on Thursday, June 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The after-hours event will be a fun and interactive event for adults and families and themed to coincide with World Oceans Day.

The celebration will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the grand opening of the historic Burton/Bratton Store. Beginning at 6 p.m., museum staff will discuss the history of the store, its role in the history of Cortez and its new role as the Folk School at Florida Maritime Museum.

“The Burton Store is a wonderful piece of Cortez history, and we’re very lucky that we still have it,” museum curator Casey Wooster said.

The celebration will also feature the opening of the “Meaning Behind Maritime” exhibit and the official launch of the Cortez Passport program.

“ ‘Meaning Behind Maritime’ is a wonderful exhibit honoring our 10th anniversary as the Florida Maritime Museum. We’re asking our community and visitors to help us find the meaning behind maritime. We want to hear the voices of our community because maritime means so many different things to so many different people. The definition of the word just means related to the ocean or sea,” Wooster said.

“We asked community members, visitors and volunteers to draw and write on these canvasses and define maritime. They’ve drawn pictures and shared memories and stories, and that’s going to be part of the exhibit. It’ll be a wonderful reflection of the community, and then we’re going to have a fully-interactive activity where you define maritime,” she added.

The Coastal Community Celebration will feature demonstrations on castnetting, lionfish, sea turtles, water pollution, shell identification, water salinity and Pip the Pelican. Scott Blum will provide live music.

The Florida Maritime Museum is located at 4415 119th St. W. at the intersection of Cortez Road and 119th Street West. For more information, call 941-708-6120 Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.