A floating restaurant known for its alligator delicacies sank Sunday afternoon on the Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal Waterway — but the crew abandoned the watercraft unharmed, its owner told the Miami Herald.
Jeremy Lycke, the chef and captain of Jay’s Sand Bar Food Boat, said a wake from a passing vessel snapped his boat’s starboard outrigger — which keeps it leveled — causing it to flip and sink in a matter of minutes.
Lycke noted that his two employees could have been trapped or burned in the pontoon if it weren’t for their training and quick response.
“It could have been much worse,” he said.
At about 12:30 p.m., Lycke was in another watercraft making deliveries when he heard the food boat’s distress signal, he said. After rushing back, he used his delivery boat to push the food boat to shallow waters to stop it from fully sinking and blocking the waterway.
Omar Rodríguez OrtizMon, May 9, 2022, 12:01 AM
A floating restaurant known for its alligator delicacies sank Sunday afternoon on the Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal Waterway — but the crew abandoned the watercraft unharmed, its owner told the Miami Herald.
Jeremy Lycke, the chef and captain of Jay’s Sand Bar Food Boat, said a wake from a passing vessel snapped his boat’s starboard outrigger — which keeps it leveled — causing it to flip and sink in a matter of minutes.
Lycke noted that his two employees could have been trapped or burned in the pontoon if it weren’t for their training and quick response.
“It could have been much worse,” he said.
At about 12:30 p.m., Lycke was in another watercraft making deliveries when he heard the food boat’s distress signal, he said. After rushing back, he used his delivery boat to push the food boat to shallow waters to stop it from fully sinking and blocking the waterway.
“I’m disheartened right now,” he said.This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.Update your settings here to see it.
The floating restaurant’s hostess, Coulette Murray, created a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of removing the boat from its shallow grave and perhaps even building a new one.
“The boat is a total loss,” she wrote.
Alligator delicacies? Hmmmm. What would those be? Nothing I would like, probably. Gator balls? Gator and taters? Creepy reptile stew? There is nothing from the swamps of south Florida that I would ever eat.
Cincy used to have floating restaurants. Some of them really good.
Crap like this is why it doesn’t now.
“— — Jeff Ruby opened his floating restaurant, The Waterfront, in Kentucky in 1996, but lately it’s seen a run of misfortune.
“We’ve been hit by runaway barges. We’ve been hit by a tugboat. We’ve been hit by a runaway iceberg,” Ruby told ABC News today. “I almost lost an employee last year when an iceberg hit us.”
This week, he finally lost the restaurant for good. On Tuesday, it sank into the Ohio River.
Ruby thinks the barge that hit the restaurant in Covington, Kentucky, across from Cincinnati, two weeks ago might have caused it to finally sink, but his run of problems goes back a bit further.
In 2011, the eatery came unmoored with about 200 customers and staff members on board. Emergency crews surrounded the boat.
After that, Ruby shut down the restaurant to the public.
“Enough is enough,” Ruby said.”
https://abcnews.go.com/US/kentucky-floating-restaurant-sinks-river/story?id=24868010
“The Shuttered Restaurant Flotilla of Covington
Sep 26
…By 2005, the city still hadn’t found a buyer for the complex. After flood debris struck the barges and repairs were estimated $1.4 Million, the city closed it down. The buildings were razed and the barges sold as scrap metal. A floating entertainment complex that had been built for nearly $15 Million ended up becoming scrap metal valued at $48,500.”
https://ronnysalerno.com/queencitydiscovery/2013/09/the-shuttered-restaurant-flotilla-of.html
…floating restaurants have the worst of both worlds. Its a boat that can sink and break loose and have rats, and a restaurant that attracts river rats, is difficult to supply, and has no motor or crew if anything happens.
Thank God those folks are safe.
But it’s a conceptually bad idea. Take your insurance money and rebuild on land.
PHenry
MAY 9, 2022 AT 8:55 PM
“Alligator delicacies? ”
…I had alligator nuggets at Dragos in Metairie, LA, outside New Orleans. They were absolutely delicious. Not tough or chewy or fishy at all.
“FRIED GATOR BITES $13.95
Alligator tail meat seasoned and fried, served with a remoulade sauce.”
https://www.dragosrestaurant.com/metairie-menu-2/
Tough to get in OH tho.
*sigh*
I know this boat, I see it sailing the intercoastal all the time. The guy heads out around 7am and comes back around 7pm. Works like a dog. His barge was extremely underpowered and top-heavy though. I hope he gets the funds to start up again, he’s a staple out here.
FJB
Sorry. I don’t eat reptile. Might be part of my Old Testament upbringing from which I admit to veering from. Bacon. Damn bacon.
But lizards are a bridge too far.
If you are looking for a recommendation though, I am eating Blue Bell Peachy Peach ice cream as I type. It’s delicious. Really good.
Welcome to the Titanic Cafe
Didn’t John Candy sail a restaurant in a regatta?
I’ve really come to appreciate being on solid ground.
Well ain’t that a hole in the boat!
The employees nearly became alligator delicacies, I’m sure the alligators would have enjoyed them.
I’m surprised it took this long to sink……
Tastes like chicken?