Flotilla memorial planned for Hilton Head charter captain killed in motorcycle accident

Following a deadly motorcycle accident , the memorial service for a beloved Lowcountry charter captain will bring friends and family to a treasured spot: the open waters off Hilton Head, where he spent countless hours before his life was tragically cut short.

At about 5 p.m. on Aug. 5, dozens of boats will parade out of the marina and into the Intracoastal Waterway as part of Nathaniel James Riley’s celebration of life. The flotilla will stop for a “ceremonial sendoff” in Bull Creek, one of Riley’s favorite spots, before returning to Fishcamp on Broad Creek for refreshments and a celebration of life, according to Nate Jones, general manager of Broad Creek Marina.

Riley, 30, was killed in a motorcycle accident the night of July 11 on U.S. 278. as he returned from work. Known fondly as “Captain Nate,” the Hilton Head native spent most of his adult life working on and around boats at the Broad Creek Marina. In recent years, he founded Tighten Up Fishing Charters , taking patrons on fishing expeditions off the coast of his hometown.

Leading the flotilla will be Riley’s own boat, ridden by his close family and girlfriend Kenzie Spahr, who announced she was pregnant with the couple’s first child less than two weeks before his death. Donations for Spahr will be collected at the memorial to assist with future expenses, according to Stephen Riley, Nate’s father.

Riley graduated from Hilton Head High School in 2011, according to his obituary . He was born and raised on the island, where his love of the ocean and fishing brought him to work at Broad Creek Marina. In 2023, he reconnected with his “soulmate” Spahr, whom he met in high school during their time working together at Giuseppi’s Pizza in Shelter Cove.

“(Spahr and Riley) would make the most of their time together, traveling, boating, dancing and attending music festivals,” the obituary reads. “Nate was taken from the world too soon, leaving the world a little less bright.”