LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. -- A floating restaurant's crown jewel became buried treasure Sunday as its outdoor tiki bar disappeared beneath the waves of the Ohio River -- a sudden sink that could cost the owner more than $100,000 to replace.
"It's kind of devastating it happened," said Mike Rauen, owner of RiverWatch.
His restaurant lost half its seating and a crucial element of its ambience when the bar descended into Davy Jones' locker, he said. Even worse, he isn't sure exactly how it happened.
"I don't know if there was debris that hit the front and dislodged it, but there were five 1-inch cables, and they were just split," he said.
RiverWatch, which typically operates from April to October, will still open this year, Rauen said. It'll just be a little later than usual: About April 30 rather than April 15.
"It's tough, tough time on the river," Rauen said.
