Meet Sam Riggs - The Tides Inn Seaplane Captain
September 19, 2025
For more than a decade, Sam Riggs has been in love with the skies. In 2020, he decided to chase a dream - flying “floats” for a living. While waiting for Part 135 Air Carrier certification from the FAA, Sam honed his skills flying in Southeast Alaska with Alaska Seaplanes and along the coastlines of South Louisiana, where aviation mentor Lyle Panepinto of Southern Seaplane showed him the art of safe and courteous seaplane operation.
Then purchasing his own aircraft, a Cessna 206 seaplane, Sam founded Coastal Seaplanes. Today he is proud of the partnership formed between Coastal Seaplanes and the Tides Inn, and to serve as the resort’s exclusive seaplane service provider.
“With the overarching mission of providing safe, reliable seaplane transportation, guests can trade a long drive for a short flight and step right onto the dock ready for dinner or a sunset cruise,” Sam said. “Together with the Tides Inn, we’ve created signature experiences – fly-in dining, Outer Banks charters and champagne tours. I enjoy giving people a new way to experience the Northern Neck, as it feels very Virginia – rooted in a place that’s easy to love.”
Flying in a seaplane is unlike anything else, as the Bay itself becomes the runway. What begins as a thrill quickly becomes serene, with shorelines, marshes, lighthouses and communities unfolding in picture-perfect views.
The convenience is unmatched, too: whether arriving at nearby airports (Richmond, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York, the Greater DC area and all of the Outer Banks airports) to hundreds of other destinations, guests land directly at the resort’s dock. And for an added bonus, Coastal Seaplanes serves every public airport and many private airport destinations in the region.
“Every day I wake up and go to work at the most fun and rewarding job in the world and every evening I go home with a heart full of gratitude. It makes it easy to stay passionate.”
“As the Chesapeake Bay’s first and only commercial seaplane service, we put passenger safety and comfort above all else,” Sam remarked. “To me, this is more than a job, it’s a calling. Guiding guests on their first seaplane experience high above our waterways is most rewarding.”
Board the seaplane at our resort’s beach and enjoy a smooth take-off and landing in the calm waters of Carter’s Creek. To reserve, please contact our Concierge Team at Concierge@TidesInn.com or (804) 438-5000.