Two Lives Lost on Skull Creek: A Quiet Bluffton Couple, Gone in an Instant
Hilton Head Island, SC — July 1, 2025 – It was a warm Friday night. Not stormy. Not loud. Just the kind of evening where the water looks like glass and the sky turns soft before going dark.
That is when it happened. Around 9:45 p.m., a boat went down in Skull Creek. Four people were on board. Two of them did not come home.
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Their names were James and Patsy Montgomery. If you are from Bluffton, you have probably seen them before, maybe at the post office or picking up coffee. They were the kind of couple who did not ask for attention. Just kind, soft-spoken, always together. You would recognize them if they passed you on the sidewalk, holding hands. No fuss. They were 76 and 73. Married for decades, gone in seconds.
The Accident
Authorities have not said if it was a collision or something else. All they have confirmed is that when help arrived, four people were found on the boat, James and Patsy were already gone. The other two whose names have not yet released were taken to the hospital with injuries.
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The crash happened out on Skull Creek, near Hilton Head Island. It is a stretch of water locals know well, but at night? It is a different story. The shadows get strange. Land and water blur. Even experienced boaters take it slow out there.
Now the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is investigating. They are working alongside the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Coast Guard, trying to piece together what happened and why. But the truth is, sometimes, these things do not make sense. Sometimes, you just never get the full picture.
A Town in Shock
Bluffton is not a big place. It is one of those towns where people remember your dog’s name before they remember yours. Where news travels quietly, from front porch to corner store. So when something like this happens, it cuts deep.
“They were gentle people,” said one neighbor, shaking his head. “Didn’t deserve to go out like that.” Others described them as calm, polite, the kind of couple that just made you feel like everything was okay when they were around.
Now, their house sits still. Porch lights off. Empty driveway. And a silence that feels too heavy.
The Timing Hits Hard
This all happened just before the Fourth of July, one of the busiest weekends of the year for boaters across the state. Thousands of people will take to the water over the holiday, many with coolers packed and kids in tow, looking for fun.
Just one day before the accident, SCDNR had announced a courtesy inspection program free checks at boat landings from July 4 through 6.
Officers would not ticket anyone at these inspections. They are just trying to help people be ready: enough life jackets? Fire extinguisher working? Lights in order? Boat registration up to date? It is the kind of thing that seems small until something goes wrong. And now, after what happened on Skull Creek, it does not feel small anymore.
Safety Is not Just a Rule, It is a Lifeline
If you are going out on the water this week, check your boat. Double-check it. Tell someone where you a re going. Fill out a float plan. That is not just for you, it is for the people who’d be left wondering where you are if you did not come back.
If you see someone boating recklessly, or you think a driver’s been drinking, speak up. SCDNR has a 24-hour line: 1-800-922-5431 or #DNR on your phone. It is not being nosy. It is being human.
You can also find safety info, float plans, and classes at dnr.sc.gov/education/boated.html. Or just call them at 1-800-277-4301.
Together, All the Way
There is one thing that keeps coming up when people talk about James and Patsy Montgomery: they were never apart. Every story ends with, “They were always together.” And they were even at the end. There is something in that; something bittersweet. Maybe even something comforting, but it still hurts.
And as Bluffton prepares for the fireworks and families get ready to launch their boats, there is a quiet hope that people will remember what happened, not just as a tragedy, but as a reminder, to take it slow, to be careful and to come home because not everyone gets that chance.
