Sanibel Island Bailey Homestead & Shipley Trail

Today was another day of rest for Clyde, so I decided to explore the island for photographic opportunities for both of us.

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge

I had seen an image I wanted to photograph at JN Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, but I didn’t feel the light was right when Clyde and I were there. This morning I decided to return to Ding Darling to try and capture the image. I got to Ding Darling just as the gate opened and drove through the Refuge's wetland and mangrove area while there was still mist rising from the earth. It was beautiful and added a softness to the scene. By the time I reached the location where I wanted to photograph the sun was burning away the mist. There was just a small amount of mist still there. Well, the mist was so subtle that I didn’t catch it in my photographic image. I am assuming I used an incorrect exposure. But, since I hand-paint my images, I was able to create the mist so that the image was that soft surreal image I saw when I drove up to photograph it. 

Misty Morning ~ hand-painted photograph For sizes and prices CLICK HERE

I wanted to get some more photographs of Ding Darling, so I decided to spend some time at the Ding Darling tower that overlooks a bayou in the Refuge. It looked like a beautiful day to sit and watch the clouds roll across the sky.

View from tower

Looking out over the bayou at the top of the tower…the clouds above and below…makes me feel like I’m in a different world.

The same image without the tower structure

I could have sat in the tower all day just watching the clouds and their reflections in the bayou. Very peaceful. However, I wanted to see the Bailey Homestead, so off I went.

Bailey Homestead & Shipley Trail

I love history and decided to check out the Bailey Homestead. When I drove up to the homestead, I saw that there was also a hiking trail, Shipley Trail.

Here were two things I love to do, check out the history of an area, and hike!

Shipley Trail

I am so thankful for the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation for saving this block of land on the island. They have saved over 1800 acres on Sanibel, helping to save it from development.

Between JN Ding Darling and Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, (and probably more organizations that I don’t know about) the people of this island have done an amazing job keeping the island safe. Oh, how I wish other islands had folks who cared about their islands as much as Sanibel folks care for theirs.

Shipley Trail

Sea Grapes

Shipley Trail

I didn’t have the time to walk the entire trail. I stopped a little ways past this point and cut over to the Bailey Homestead. I’ll have to leave the rest of this trail for the next time we’re on the island :)

Bailey Homestead

Bailey Homestead

The Bailey family is one of the founding families of Sanibel Island. They are best known today for their Bailey Store on the corner of Periwinkle Way and Tarpon Bay Rd.  (it's a great place to get groceries and much more)

The Bailey's settled on Sanibel Island in the late 1800's as farmers. In 1899 they purchased a plantation store on Mathews Wharf that became the Sanibel Packing Company. 

The Sanibel Packing Company became the main place to buy groceries and supplies on the island, as the Bailey's said, "If you can't find it here, you don't need it." 

In 2011, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation purchased the Bailey Homestead, along with the attached 28 acres. They restored the home and have created Shipley Trail through a section of the acreage.

Bailey Homestead

The Bailey’s weather vane

Sanibel Island History Museum Village - The old Bailey Store and Sanibel Packing House of yesteryear

Unfortunately, the Bailey Homestead wasn’t open the day I chose to visit the property, so I decided to visit the Sanibel Island History Museum. It wasn’t open either, due to Covid-19, however I did check out their History Museum Village. Of course the houses, schools, businesses etc, in the village weren’t open, but seeing the old Bailey Store and Sanibel Packing House was a wonderful way to end my exploration of the Bailey’s.

My afternoon adventure was coming to a close, but the clouds were building so I took a short trip to one of the beaches on Sanibel to see how it looked. As always, it was beautiful!

The day ended with another magnificent sunset that was so pink it turned our motorhome pink!