UNTOUCHED

March 16, 2017 by Bryan Gregson

PHOTO ESSAY | SAINT BRANDONS ATOLL
16.5833° S, 59.6167° E – East of Mauritius

I’m thrilled to see the voyage to St. Brandon’s Atoll in Mauritius made it to print. Each time I think about this incredible adventure with the crew at Flycastaway I still can’t believe it. What an incredible area, I had no idea places like this actually existed in reality. A journey I will always remember and a place I will always want to return to.

This essay is from my trip last year while on assignment for Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures with the amazing crew at Fly Castaway. It has been said the Cargados Carajos Shoals is very remote, way off-the-grid and is extremely difficult to get there. I couldn’t agree more.

Big thanks to William for letting me tag along with him on the flats with my camera and to my bunkmate Murray for putting up with all my gear, I’m glad we both had the same taste in room temperate!

Be sure to head down to your local shop and grab yourself a copy or better yet, order a subscription, you won’t be disappointed. This issue is packed with great articles and some impressive photo essays, it’s not one to be missed.

Gray’s Sporting Journal: The Fly Fishing Edition
Vol. Forty-two, Issue 1
Photo Essay: Untouched
https://www.grayssportingjournal.com/

ST BRANDONS ATOLL | FIELD ASSIGNMENT

April 29, 2016 by Bryan Gregson

ST BRANDONS ATOLL RECAP
Middle of Nowhere, Indian Ocean

I just returned from an inspiring trip to the Indian Ocean and ST Brandon’s Atoll, what an incredible adventure. I never knew a place like that existed. It was very inspiring to see a healthy fishery and ecosystem that is still intact. The wade fishing for bonefish was as incredible. It’s an ocean safari of animals and birds that I’ve never seen before. It’s not a place for everyone, a long journey filed with flights and a massive ocean crossing. We had a great captain and the 15-foot seas for 24+ hours didn’t seem so bad. Hats off to the FlyCasway team for showing me their amazing office. Thanks for your hospitality!

+ Yellow Dog Blog post here: http://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/blog/st-brandons-atoll-recap

+ Yellow Dog FlyFishing Adventures: http://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/st-brandons-0
+ FlyCastaway: http://flycastaway.com/

ST. BRANDON’S ATOLL | MAURITIUS

March 29, 2016 by Bryan Gregson

SAINT BRANDON’S ATOLL | INDIAN OCEAN
16° 35’0.0”S 59° 40’0.0”E – North East of Mauritius

Here we go, cue the automatic “out-of-office” email reply! ….My bags are packed, Global Rescue and SAT phone in tow and I am heading out the door in less than 24 hours. It is going to take 4 days, 4 plane rides, 2 hotels and a 28hr, 268-nautical-mile ocean crossing later to get there. My final destination is a very remote place called Île Raphael on St.Brandon’s Atoll, it’s about 10,393.44 miles away from home.

St. Brandon (Saint Brandon), also known as Cargados Carajos Shoals, is a collective of over 50 islands, coral ridges and vast sand flats on an extended reef located in the middle of absolutely nowhere Indian Ocean. I will be on assignment for Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures with the Fly Castaway boys targeting anything that swims on the flats, mainly giant bonefish and giant trevally. It has been said this place is literally the next frontier in the world of saltwater flats fishing. It is very remote, way off-the-grid and is one of the few remaining protected pristine places left on the planet, not too mention, its extremely difficult to get there.

I am beyond excited and I feel very lucky to be on this trip. This is for sure a once in a life-time opportunity for me, I am looking forward to the adventure and I can’t wait to make some photographs.

+ Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures: http://www.yellowdogflyfishing.com/fly-fishing-vacation-lodges/fly-fishing-indian-ocean-st-brandons-atoll.htm
+ Fly Castaway: http://flycastaway.com/

“Mauritius was made first and then heaven, heaven being copied after Mauritius.”-Mark Twain