Brays Island is a throwback to a bygone era. At its core, Brays is a 5,500-acre property that is shared by just 325 families. Each family owns a one-acre circle, leaving more than 5,200 acres undeveloped. This makes for a huge playground… for adults and kids alike.
That playground has recently welcomed some new players, and two somewhat unexpected players really stand out.
Anna and Connor Barnes are crack shots. The siblings, 15 and 12 years old, respectively, recently made Brays Island home, and have made their mark on the community in short order.
The two have become a fixture at Means Bluff, the unspoken meeting place for afternoon dog walks. “If the kids aren’t there at 4:00 p.m. when everyone is walking their dogs, everyone — dogs and people — is looking for them,” their father, Ryan, joked.
"We are so happy that the Barnes family has made Brays Island their home, and it is such a joy having their wonderful children, Anna and Conner, on the plantation," said owners Kenny and Dana Scott. “They are truly a pleasure to have here!”
The Barnes family moved to Brays Island in 2022 after deciding they wanted to find a stable community that was not subject to the changes they were seeing in other places, according to Jesse. She and her husband, Ryan, were in search of a home that suited the needs of all the members of their young family.
“We visited Brays and just felt comfortable here,” Jesse said. “Connor and Anna can jump on their bikes and ride for miles. They can fish. They can shoot. They can crab. They can just be kids in a safe environment, and I don’t have to worry.”
The macro location of Brays also played a part in the decision-making process for Ryan and Jesse.
“Having a short drive into Beaufort and being just an hour from Charleston and Savannah also works well for us as a family,” said Ryan. “I’m still working and the rest of the family is involved in lots of activities. The kids shoot sporting clays competitively, so we travel a bit for that.”
With the Gun Club practically in their backyard, shooting practice is one thing for which they don’t have to travel.
“They practice with the team every Sunday, and before tournaments they practice on Wednesdays during the week,” said Ryan. “Any other time, we’ll be at Brays. They shoot trap as well on Sunday with the older guys here, too. Brays is great as far as the availability. You couldn’t ask for anything better in their situation, or in mine either.”
The Barnes children initially became interested in shooting through a friend of Connor. Fast forward four years, and both Connor and Anna are both shooting competitively for Calhoun Sporting Clays, which is part of the South Carolina Youth Shooting Foundation. More than 1,000 kids are registered in the program, and the typical tournament usually has from 700 to 870 kids at each event.
“Prior to moving to Brays, we had a five-stand at our farm that we shot. Calhoun Sporting Clays. Gary Deitrich has property that he has donated to the kids and put into a trust. There is a sporting clays course there that is just for kids and a five stand. It is set up in a trust for the team.”
The setup at Brays is also quite convenient for the kids, who are homeschooled.
“We go to school in the morning and finish up in the afternoon, and we practice here at Brays,” Connor said. “The tournaments are held on weekends, so they don’t interfere with school.
“We shoot until we get it right or until we get tired,” said Anna. “If we start getting tired we stop.”
“That’s when you start practicing bad habits,” Ryan added.
When they aren’t doing schoolwork or shooting, they’re getting to know their new neighbors.
"I recently took Anna and Connor on their first quail hunt at Brays Island,” said owner Tracy Wilkins. “We shot over my pointing dog, Ricky. They did really well, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking them. I might have had children had I known they would have been as pleasant as these two. Everyone loves them here at Brays Island, and they have plenty of grandparents here."