One of the best kept secrets at Brays Island is the ability to "turn back the clock" millions of years. Our property consists of land which was once ocean bed, and there are some tremendous opportunities to find fossils from the beasts of yesteryear right here on the property.
Pictured above is a very proud Will White with a tooth he found recently at Brays Island. This tooth is from the greatest predator that ever existed - Charcharadon Megalodon - a shark capable of growing to a length in excess of fifty feet, and weighing up to 100,000 lbs. Brays Island's fishing guide, Bryan Freeman, has a passion for fossil shark teeth, and he is more than happy to take owners or their children out to fertile fossil beds right on our property, giving you the opportunity to "turn back the clock" and find a piece of history. This tooth is the best Will has found so far, and I'm certain it won't be his last!
You're all well aware that at Brays Island Plantation you have the ability to ride a horse whenever you please, shoot some sporting clays, or perhaps a quail in the morning and par in the afternoon on the golf course. On August 25th, Paul Pyle opted to do a little fishing in the Broad River (to which you have direct access by boat from Brays).
As you can see from the pictures - catching a 200 lb Tarpon can be added to your daily options list at Brays Island Plantation!!!
Mark Ingram and his son Max recently returned from their annual father and son trip to Estancia Cortaderas in Argentina. In chatting to him, I get the sense that he may still be there! He's suffering a little from "post Cortaderas" syndrome . This is an affliction where your mind cannot shake the images of endless waves of doves coming at you, the whistling sounds of early morning duck, the sizzle of fresh Argentine beef on the asada complimented by the full bodied aroma of the best Argentinian Malbec.
Wake up Mark! You're back, and the good news is that Brays Island's fall sporting season is about to begin.
Mark displaying unusually fine form in the perdiz field. (He may describe this as routine form)
Dawn, ducks, life is good!
"The usual" - a sumptuous multi course lunch on the banks of the great Parana River.
Max lands a Dorado on fly in the off season.
The majestic home base- Estancia Cortaderas. Mark wisely contracted Isaias Miciu Nicolaevici to photograph his trip. Some of his other photographs can be viewed at
www.isaiasmiciu.com
One common denominator among Brays Island owners is the love of travel. I would venture to say that there is hardly a place on the planet that has not been visited by one or more of our owners. This makes for great conversation in general, and/or inside scoop if ever you are inclined to venture out into some wild and unchartered place. This summer, two Brays families took their loved ones on an epic trip to South Africa for the World Cup and some outdoor adventure, and here is a sampling of their pictures.
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Chino and Zady Cosculluela at the World Cup.
The kids getting into the spirit of things!
Chino comes face to face with a Great White while shark diving in Cape Town - note the fear in the shark's eye!
On safari in Botswana.
Not an everyday sight!
An even rarer encounter, where a pair of Honey Badgers killed a 12 ft African Rock Python.
Mario Fernandez looking very proud of himself having "disarmed" the game ranger.
Fresh kill.
The Sixth Annual Brays Island Outdoor & Shooting Exposition was held last weekend under crystal blue skies and ideal temperatures. For sport we had a pigeon ring, partner five stand competion and one hundred bird fun shoot on the sporting clays course.
Seminars include Chris Batha on over and unders versus side by sides, Marty Fischer on wing shooting and a fly casting seminar by Bay Street Outfitters of Beaufort. Jim Arnold, the Brays Island shooting pro, held a ladies five stand clinic attended by some forty women shooters.
Sunday featured a demonstration of upland and waterfowl hunting with English Cocker and Springer Spaniels. The handlers, from Horseshoe and DeeDot Plantations, also had puppies for sale.
Over thirty exhibitors offered everything from art work to clothing to both classic and new shotguns and shooting accessories. A highlight of the show was master engraver, Mario Volpi, creating a quail scene on a sidelock during the three days.
If you were able to attend, we hope you enjoyed yourself. If you could not make it, rest assured we will work diligently to help you become an owner at Brays before next year’s show.
In a prior newsletter we mentioned that the waters around Brays were warming and the fishing was picking up. All these fish came from ponds fed by tidal creeks on Brays Island. They were all released to grow even bigger.
The first weekend in March saw a three day point and shoot competition for pointing breeds. Day one was for Brays Island owners and the next two days were a sanctioned NSTRA competition with entrants from as far away as Canada. The birds flew and a great time was had under sunny skies with bragging rights for Brays' owners whose dogs took top honors.
On Wednesday, March 10th, Brays held a competition for flushing dogs with fourteen labs and springers taking part. Each dog and hunter had 20 minutes to find a maximum of five birds. It was a great event pointed around having fun - and we all did.
"One of the few developments in the nation with a bent toward the rugged outdoor pursuits...all [homes] share one ingredient: they all fit in an understated way into their site." - The New York Times
"A true sportman's haven, Brays Island is to the outdoorsman what the Louvre is to the artist. It offers some of the most beautiful scenery, quality hunting and prolific fishing this country has to offer, completely unspoiled by development or commercialism." - Charlotte Magazine
"More thought and planning went into designing Brays Island than any other place I've seen on the Southeastern coast. It looks and feels a little like paradise as described in the book of 'Genesis'." - Pat Conroy, Author of "Prince of Tides"
For the 6th year the Brays Island Sport Shooting Center will hold the Expo on their grounds in April. This year will feature 35 exhibitors and several seminars. Holland and Holland will lead a large group of gun dealers. Artists and clothing retailers will also be in attendance. Chris Batha and Marty Fisher will give shooting advice, Jim Arnold, the Brays Island Pro, will conduct a ladies clinic in five stand and Tony Royal will give a fly fishing exhibition. Events will include a 100 bird sporting clays fun shoot, a partners five stand shoot and a special Brays Island Helice shoot.
If you can come to this wonderful three day event contact us at Brays Island Realty for a reservation. Accommodations on site will fill quickly so don’t delay!
Chip and Sarah Hyle treat young Trey, Tommy and Alex to some "Brays Island Sponge Painting" on our living canvas called Muffin! If any of you figure you have a future Warhol or Picasso in your household, they're welcome to hone their skills and let their imagination run wild on the ever tolerant Muffin!
Brays Island occupies a unique and enviable location in the South Carolina Lowcountry. We own 5,500 acres and control through a long term lease another 1,000 acres on our northern border. Our western border is the Pocotaligo River. Across the river is a 7,000 acre Plantation with a permanent conservation easement which allows only two homes on the property. To the south is the Broad River leading into Port Royal Sound.
We are on the western edge of the Ace Basin, 400,000 acres of mostly undeveloped coastal land on the Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto Rivers, some 200,000 acres of which are private land placed under conservation easements by individual owners.
Yet, with all this protected open space Brays Island is close to three of the most historic cities in the Lowcountry. Beaufort is twenty minutes away, Savannah and Charleston are each forty-five miles from our front entrance.
Nowhere else will you find such a protected property with easy access to shopping, fine dining and historic cities! There is no equal to Brays Island. Come and see for yourself.
Three Brays Island owners met other friends for a marathon pheasant hunting and fishing trip to the west. They began with pheasant hunting in Kimball, Hidden Timber and Winner, South Dakota, then took a side trip to Casper, Wyoming to fly fish the North Platte. After that the group visited the ranch of another Brays Island owner for three more days of pheasant hunting.
Isn't this a group of folks that you would like to have as your friends?
Cali Garcia-Valez, Jr., here with his dad, proudly displaying his first ever buck.
The Garcia-Valez family is one of many young families who have recently bought at Brays Island Plantation - giving their children a wonderful alternative to city life where they have their primary home. We are very happy to have them here and to see youngsters like Cali, Jr., putting their newly acquired outdoor skills to the test.
The annual Red Fish Tournament was held on October 13th, in the rivers and marshes around Brays Island Plantation. The first place team of Bill Berne and Tom Cable, landed thirty-five red fish totalling 581 inches. Well done guys!
Congratulations to all the teams that participated.
This is Sumner and Becky Pingree who live on Brays Island Plantation and are loved by all.
Sumner was a rancher in Cuba. When Castro ousted Batista in 1959, Raul Castro knocked on Sumner's door and escorted him off the Island. Sumner came to the Lowcountry and bought Brays in 1963. After twenty-five years of farming, Sumner created this outdoor sporting community for the 325 owners.
We are indebted to Sumner for his vision in preserving the Lowcountry Plantation with the 3,500 acre hunting and wildlife preserve and all the other amenities. We thank him for his vision every day.
Where else is the developer of a community a permanent resident and so admired?
