A Private Island in The Bahamas…
Solace for the Hassled, Boundless Opportunity for the Visionary and Pinnacle Attainment
Many say the world is out of balance. Everyone wants to ‘find’ time, ‘find’ peace and ‘find’ privacy.
Psssst…. guess what there is a, not-so-secret, source offering discovery of these desired and all too often elusive elements. It is a ‘secret’ that Celebrities, fortunate folks and notable achievers, such as Francis Francis (we’ll get to him in a bit), have known for decades: private islands can be a path to personal reconnection.
Private Islands are gems of the sea waiting to deliver access to YOUR personal refuge. They hold the unique potential to create YOUR uninhibited personal nirvana according to your definitions AND in the current real estate market, private island ownership is more accessible than it ever has been. 
> ‘Bird Cay’, presents a gorgeous oasis in the south Berry Islands of The Bahamas awaiting its new owner and ‘creator’ AND that could be YOU!
Johnny Depp, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw , Eddie Murphy, David Copperfield 
and other recognizable celebrities and high-net worth individuals have embraced the lure and rewards of private ownership and these ‘safe havens’ constantly make headlines.
Necker Island, 
Sir Richard Branson’s Island, has been touted in headlines recently. Many marveled at how the allure of private island mystique trumped the loss of the main house to a fire in the summer while hosting Kate Winslet and did not deter Branson’s daughter Holly from accessing the perfect private island wedding location just as her father did over a decade ago.
Stories of the well-heeled and their private island experiences are always headline grabbers! The England’s youngest royal couple, 
‘Will and Kate’ ,as they are affectionately known, chose a private island honeymoon location as their retreat from a media greedy public.
Private Island retreats and their ownership is not a new choice for wealthy and celebrity personalities. The romantic appeal of island ownership can be traced back to other high profile jet setters decades ago. This is the case of Francis Francis, a handsome Brit and heir to the Standard Oil fortune, who decided in the early 1940’s to buy his own island situated in the south Berry Islands of The Bahamas. He named it ‘Bird Cay’.
Naming a landmass that will grace global cartography can be cited as a distinctive and heady ‘perk’ of island ownership. However, do not be fooled. At this point in time, this was not an acquisition for the ‘faint-of-heart’! 
These gorgeous landforms set in azure seas may provide the optimal retreat, but in the 1940s their access and ease of development was not what it is today. There were no luxury jets into international airports and no limo in the wings to whisk you away to your luxurious state-of-the-art dwelling. While an island playground born of the owner’s fantasy
can be easily accessed today, such as Nygard Cay in The Bahamas, requirements in the 1940s for the owners of these retreats was not just wealth, but ingenuity, a sense of adventure and a visionary spirit. Francis Francis was truly such a person. He embodied success through athletic achievement, financial gain and courageous and philanthropic efforts.
Truly the 40’s were a time that summoned adventurers. It was a time of war and Francis Francis 
was responding to the call through the manufacturing and marketing of ejection seats 
. This progressive company still provides these lifesaving mechanisms for 93 air forces worldwide. Francis Francis can be seen in this 1937 photo with fellow founders of the Martin–Baker Aircraft Company.
A tribute to Mr. Francis’ fearlessness and pioneering spirit was his participation in being one of the early ‘live’ test subjects. This practice involved bold souls willing to endure a 16 foot test rig built in the form of a tripod, one of the legs being in the form of guide rails. A seat was propelled up the guide rails by a gun, consisting of two telescopic tubes energized by an explosive cartridge. 
Studies were conducted to find the limits of upward acceleration that the human body could stand. As a result of the farsighted and intrepid efforts of men like Francis Francis, over 7,300 lives have been saved by Martin-Baker ejection seats to date.
The Bahamas possess an intoxicating beauty
. However, Francis’ courageous spirit could certainly be attributed to what led him to embrace the undertaking of owning and developing his own island. Indeed, his pluck was evident at an early age. Among his accomplishments were winning the Swiss Open as an Amateur in 1936 and finishing twice as the leading amateur in the British Open. Ownership of four restaurants and nightclubs in London later in life surely provided additional preparation.
During the war Francis Francis purchased ‘Bird Cay’ from his sister, 
Joe Carstairs (Marion B.), another spirited soul.
When the war ended he moved with his theatrically renowned bride, 
Patricia Francis (nee Leonard) to The Bahamas and worked to settle their private island. Initially, the brave hearted Francis and his operatic and theatrically talented wife lived on their freighter “The Mereghan”. It was anchored just off of the point of ‘Bird Cay’ until the first buildings were completed. Today, the remnants of his personal republic built from harnessing the raw materials of rock quarried from the island can still be seen on the island
.
During a glamorous and glittering era of Bahamian history, ‘Bird Cay’ was where Francis chose to raise his children and entertain his friends from the likes of the Duke of Windsor to Greta Garbo
; all while practicing golf on a custom-designed driving range.
Today, ‘Bird Cay’ remains an Exotic Private Island Paradise. Now in the center of a new Marine Reserve for the Berry Islands 
similar to the Exuma Cays. Prices in the Land and Sea Park in Exuma have skyrocketed and the same is anticipated for the new Berry Island Reserve. ‘Bird Cay’ represents a wonderful investment opportunity as this environmental treasure gains notoriety and stature around the world.
Just as with Francis Francis, ‘Bird Cay’ presents a haven of beauty and tranquility. This 250 acre tropical island at the south end of the Berry Islands chain is just 30 minutes by air from Nassau. Naturally protected on all sides by neighboring islands and sand banks, ‘Bird Cay’ offers an excellent marina opportunity for the right investor with the adventurer’s soul. Chub Cay lies just west of this island prize and has a 5,000 foot airstrip with regular and chartered flights to Nassau that conjures visions of private resorts, exclusive clubs, and exceptional restaurants. With over 4.75 Miles of water frontage
‘Bird Cay’ offers sandy beaches, crystalline waters, spectacular ocean views, gentle prevailing breezes, numerous trails, tropical palms, casuarina trees, as well as citrus and coconut groves. The privately owned island of Whale Cay (Read a bit about “Joe”, Francis Francis’s sister, “The Queen of Whale Cay”) to the east includes an additional 4,000 foot paved runway and harbour. Proximity to the Great Bahama Bank and the Tongue of the Ocean makes this an excellent fishing, sailing, and scuba-diving paradise. Given the considerable flowing grass land, homage can be paid to Francis Francis via the creation of a few easily be constructed golf holes on the island.
Today, ‘find’ your tropical paradise and tailor it to your vision. Now is truly THE time to have a look at Bird Cay, Bahamas. (Read PIN’s article on “Why there’s Never Been a Better Time to Buy a Private Island” ) Engage your inner celebrity or your visionary and entrepreneurial spirit.
Consider all of YOUR possibilities – business retreat, family compound, or a stunning island resort. Ignoring this opportunity would ‘be for the birds’!
