Cortez Florida Walking Tour

We try to walk at least 3 miles every day and our location here at Cortez is perfect to achieve that goal. It is a mile to walk across the bridge to the Anna Maria beach. Then more miles on the beach or else to the Moose club for eats and drink. The food and drink are the reward for the walk. Anyway, that is my story. On other days, we just cross the street from the RV park and enter the Cortez fishing village. By walking all the streets in the village, it is exactly 3 miles.

Cortez, FL

Cortez, Florida, is a small Gulf Coast commercial fishing village that was founded by settlers from North Carolina in the 1880s. The population was 4,121 at the 2020 census. In its early days, Cortez was a fishing village so rural that it was more often reached by water than by land. The mainstay of Cortez was and still is its success in the commercial fishing industry.

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The old village is quite a mix of several vacation rental homes that have been fixed up very cute. On the other hand, it is also a very rustic and a true working fishing village that has many homes from the early part of the 1900’s in original condition.

The home prices are staggeringly high priced to my perspective. The small cottages go for $500k and the larger homes up to $1.5m. I guess the old realtors mantra of location, location, location. I just hope they are okay with an old broken down boat next door.

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There are also many old fishing boats of various stages of decomposing. I think that the old boats add something to the atmosphere, and Pat thinks that most of the junk needs to be hauled off. Well, a little difference of opinion.

It does provide interesting sights while walking our 3 miles. Wondering what the history was of the old working vessels.

All the fishing at work reminds me of my brother the pharma exec who dreams of fishing fulltime. I wonder if these fulltime fishermen realize how lucky they are?

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This area had a heavy rainfall a week ago combined with a high tide and very strong wind from the west caused a storm surge that flooded most of Cortez up to 6-7 inches on the houses foundations. Our RV park was also partially flooded. On my walk the day after, many people were doing cleanup and wet vacuuming their floors.

The fishing boats go out early in the morning and then return about 3-4pm. Many are mid-sized boat that are trailered in and out each day. Others are docked at the marinas. I will have to get a photo next time of the mid-sized boats unloading their catch. It is done by hand as the fisherman pulls his boat out of the water on its trailer. Then he will pull alongside a row of large bins about 3 foot square. Then begins tossing the fish into bins. Not sure how they get weighed and he gets paid, but that must come later.

I will miss these fishing village walks as we will soon transition from these walks to our next RV park in New Port Richey. But, we will still try to get at least 3 miles, just a different view!

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Take care and God Bless. Thanks for following along!