OCEAN PINES -- While you might imagine purchasing your own private island in the Caribbean or South Pacific, at the moment you would not have to look farther than Ocean Pines.

 

About two weeks ago, Horse Island, the 16.7 acre island just beyond the Point's condominium project, was put up for sale by current owner Bankers Development. The marshy island at the mouth of Manklin Creek is listed for sale for $195,000.

"It's a fascinating piece of land," said Chris Peek of Sperry Van Ness, the property's listing agent. "The reason it's called Horse Island is because it looks like a horse's head from an aerial view."

The island, which has been used primarily for waterfowl hunting in the past, is being marketed toward sporting clubs as well as preservation groups, as it is not buildable. Although it is primarily composed of wetlands, the island does have a 60-foot beach at one end. As such, it is one of the county's largest chunks of undeveloped and undevelopable land for sale.

"We've been targeting hunters, and even more so, folks who want to own an island to protect it," Peek said. "Primarily it's more of an aesthetic type of ownership."

He said there had already been inquiries about the property from hunt clubs as well as from people in the Point's Condominium complex, of which the island was originally a part.

Boater Jim Falcon has become familiar with the island from his time in Ocean Pines' waterways. He says people often beach their boats to explore the small island, which is popular with birds.

"We've seen bald eagles there," Falcon said, "and ospreys use the dead trees as perches."

Interest from hunters may outpace attention from conservation groups because the property is relatively small, compared to forested parcels that have been preserved in the past.

Representatives from two local conservation organizations said they had not been aware of the island's availability for sale.