You're welcome. We got power back at the museum as did some of the restaurants mentioned below along Indian River Drive this morning which is very welcome.
For those who may be wondering about the local Restaurants you may visit along IRD here is a story from today's paper:
Several Indian River businesses expect long recovery ahead
By Terry Galvin
staff writer
October 3, 2004
SEBASTIAN If the past month is any criterion, Hurricane Harbor certainly is aptly named.
Despite rude visits from hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in three-plus weeks, owner George Dannen somehow didn't lose his sense of humor.
In surveying the damage to the waterfront restaurant, at 1540 Indian River Drive, on Tuesday, Dannen chuckled, somewhat uneasily, and said, "We went from a restaurant to 'Sanford and Son,' just a lot of junk."
Dannen was referring to the television situation-comedy show of bygone years starring the late Redd Foxx.
But Dannen did have a couple of reasons to smile this time around, after Jeanne's departure.
"The back half of our restaurant was destroyed, but the front half, built in 1927, survived both storms very well," he said. "If we get power back in three or four days and get this place cleaned up, we could reopen the front half of the restaurant very soon because the kitchen was undamaged."
Right now, however, looking at what remained of the waterfront addition, or back half, of Hurricane Harbor, Dannen laughed and said, "Guess you could say we still have the best water view in town. They don't call this the Hurricane for nothing."
Conversely, Capt. Hiram's, a few blocks north of Hurricane Harbor, won't be reopening anytime soon, according to co-owner Martin Carter. In addition to roof damage on the east end of the Key West Inn, Carter's place also sustained severe damage to the waterfront portion of the restaurant and bar, as well as its famed Sand Bar area.
"It'll be a matter of a few weeks at least," Carter said of a possible reopening of the restaurant and bar, adding that the Sand Bar could reopen much sooner. "All we need for that is to bring in a few loads of sand and fix the tables again," he said.
Squid Lips, a waterfront restaurant and lounge just north of Capt. Hiram's, was inaccessible because of dock damage that leads to the restaurant.
Farther south on Indian River Drive, which has been closed to vehicular traffic since Jeanne's departure, damage was extensive to the sidewalks along the east side of the roadway. There were at least two strips, each measuring almost 100 yards in length, of caved-in concrete where sidewalks used to be before the hurricanes. Debris also littered the east side of the roadway and a few boats were beached along the shoreline.
David Dombrowski, owner-operator of Offshore Marine just south of Hurricane Harbor, wasn't so fortunate.
"We lost about the front third of the building over the water and had some severe dock damage from Frances," Dombrowski said. "But this one pretty much ruined everything left in the building."
Looking at the downside of his business, Dombrowski explained, "Actually, you could say I'm in the toy business; I fix boats. It will be a while for my business to get back because I'm sure people are worried about many more things than their boats."
Dombrowski said he wasn't sure as to whether he would rebuild.
Workers at Earl's Hideaway, 1405 Indian River Drive, were in cleanup mode and awaiting the return of power. Other than debris strewn throughout the bar and parking lot, it weathered Jeanne quite well.
"We were lucky, no question," said manager Emil Franke. "We were prepared. We lifted everything off the ground and didn't suffer much damage, although we probably had about 10 inches of water in the place when we arrived. It's pretty well cleaned up now and as soon as the liquor ban is lifted and power is restored, we should be back in business."
And that is precisely what other business owners along Indian River Drive are hoping for, but for some it will be a matter of weeks, not days.
