After a high school injury led Joey Flores to a fresh start on the North Carolina coast, he turned his lifelong love of boating into Reef Donkey Watersports in Sneads Ferry.
There’s a new captain in town.
Captain Joey Flores launched Reef Donkey Watersports last summer in Sneads Ferry, but the story behind the business started years earlier — with a life change, a sports injury and a dream that eventually led him to the water.
Flores grew up in Wisconsin near large lakes and later moved to coastal North Carolina when his stepfather was posted to Camp Lejeune. Born and raised outside Milwaukee, he made the move during high school.
“Most people think I’m crazy for taking that leap my last year of high school, but I was really involved with sports my whole life,” he says. “My junior year (of high school) I tore my ACL, which really was hard for me. I sat on the sidelines supporting my teammates but also had a lot of time to think about what the next steps looked like for me. I wanted a new start, not only in sports, but in life itself, so I moved with my family here to Sneads Ferry and attended Dixon High School.”
After moving to the coast, he saw locals creating lives and careers centered around the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway. His heart began to hum as his eyes opened to the idea of building a career on the water.
“The captain’s life really intrigued me,” he says. “I love being out there on the water.”
Once he graduated, Flores spent summers in Wisconsin and winters in Florida, where he was able to utilize his license to its full potential since winter time there is busy season.
“As some would say, I was a Snowbird for a couple years doing that but still building the business during that time so I could get back to NC where I knew I wanted to be,” Flores says.
Running watersports companies for his business partners in Wisconsin, he knew he wanted to pursue a career on the water.
Flores has driven boats since he was 10 years old.
He became a captain in 2021 and now holds a 50-ton master captain’s license, allowing him to operate vessels up to that size. Last year, he also achieved a Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) credential, allowing him to work on domestic and foreign yachts worldwide.
But his dream was closer to home.
Reef Donkey Watersports had long been his vision, and he worked to bring it to life, launching the business in 2025 with 15-passenger Tiki Boat excursions and fishing charters alongside Capt. Kevin Cagle. The company’s name comes from the nickname anglers use for amberjack found off the North Carolina coast.
Flores allows guests to choose their own adventure.
Want to party down on a 15-person Tiki Boat? He has it.
Thinking about a family outing of shelling, swimming or enjoying the wildlife of Pender County? He can help plan the trip. Or maybe exploring the Intracoastal Waterway, marshes and spoil islands by kayak sounds more appealing. Reef Donkey WaterSports makes that happen too.
This year, Flores owns his own boats.
The Tiki Boat features a bar in the center with coolers to keep beverages ice cold, 10 bar stools surrounding the bar and additional seating at the front.
Reef Donkey also partners with The Crafthouse Charcuterie and Bar in Surf City to provide charcuterie boards by order, while the boat’s sound system “keeps the vibes going” as the sun sets over the coast.
Reef Donkey offers public and private tours lasting nearly two hours, plus half- and full-day excursions.
The Tiki Boat tours stop mid-trip at Riverview Café for refreshments and a bathroom break.
“Half- and full-day tours stop at the many different sandbars so passengers can look for shells, shark’s teeth and wildlife and swim, and explore the area,” he says.
Sometimes dolphins appear, delighting guests.
Kayaks are available for visitors wanting to explore the sound waters and marshes.
“Guided kayak tours are available for people who want a local guide to show them the amazing spots around here,” he says.
For Flores, though, it is all about being on the water.
“Being a captain is such a luxury,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else with my life. My heart and soul are on the water. I love going out there and showing my passion about why I do what I do.”
BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE
Reef Donkey Watersports
(414) 759-1552
reefdonkeyws.com
reefdonkey_watersports
