Larry and Judy Crews invite you to experience the waters of Jekyll Island and Georgia’s Golden Isles at Atlantic Water Adventures. With over 44 years experience in salt and freshwater fishing, Captain Crews promises an unforgettable day on the water. Choose from an array of packages to fit every need and budget. Try your hand at inshore bottom fishing for flounder, trout, whiting or sharks. Or you might prefer offshore bottom fishing where you could catch your fill of tarpon, black sea bass, triggerfish, and more. Dolphin Tours and Cumberland Island Water Tours are offered for those who want to relax and soak in the area’s abundant natural beauty. As a captain and an ordained minister, Captain Crews is also pleased to offer flexible wedding packages to create the wedding of your dreams. Atlantic Water Adventures uses three distinct crafts: The “Ospo” (taken from the Indian term for Jekyll Island) is the only offshore party boat in the Golden Isles. She is a 44-ft. vessel licensed and inspected by the Coast Guard with plenty of cabin and fishing room. The “4-Play” is a 26-ft. center console Pro-Line and the “4-Play II” is a 22.6-ft. center console Key West. All fishing trips include bait, tackle and your fishing license. Mates are always onboard to assist if needed. Atlantic Water Adventures are ready to provide you with a one-of-a-kind experience. Give them a call at (912) 265-7529 or (912) 270-7474. Check out their websites at www.atlanticwateradventures.com and www.offshore-charters.com. SPOTLIGHT: DAYS INN: Late Summer Equals Low Rates The oceanfront Days Inn & Suites is a jewel on Jekyll Island. With two oceanfront pools and a number of oceanfront rooms and suites available, this nicely-appointed hotel is the perfect setting for your next vacation or group outing. All rooms offer in-room coffee service, microwaves, refrigerators and irons. Guests of the hotel are invited to enjoy a delicious continental breakfast on the second floor Schooner’s Landing where you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the ocean, not to mention a spectacular sunrise. Among the hotel’s amenities is Wheel Fun Bike Rental, which offers traditional bike rentals and the family-friendly four to six passenger surreys. There are grilling and picnic areas, complimentary pool toys for the kids and a beach volleyball net for the older set. “We just want our guests to enjoy their time on the Island and at the Days Inn,” said Shirley Rayhon, Days Inn General Manager. For those looking for an all-inclusive vacation experience, the Days Inn offers several competitive packages. “Romance at the Beach” includes two nights accommodations, champagne and chocolates, a picnic lunch and a horse drawn carriage ride for two. The family fun “Splash Bash” package includes tickets to the hottest ticket in town, the Summer Waves Water Park. Packages for the Halloween and Christmas seasons are available, and golf packages are always a popular choice. Please be sure to book in advance for one of these popular summer packages. As a bonus, from the end of July through August, rates are lowered -- especially for guests staying Sunday through Wednesday. “One of the best things about our packages is that you know in advance what you’re going to spend,” said Rayhon. Within walking distance of the Jekyll Island Convention Center, the Days Inn could also be the perfect setting for your group event. The Days Inn Jekyll Island has become a destination for large groups including church youth groups, motor coach gatherings or family reunions. And finally, if you’re going to choose a hotel, you might as well choose one that is clean, modern and well-kept. The Days Inn Jekyll Island is proud to announce that its very own Barbara Williams was chosen Days Inn Housekeeper of the Year from a field of 1,800 Days Inn properties nationwide. So if you’re looking for a relaxing stay in a luxurious hotel operated by a fastidious staff eager to serve you, look no further. Call us at (888) 635-3003 or visit our website at www.daysinnjekyll.com.   SIDETRIP: DARIEN War & Conflict, The Story of Darien's Churches War and conflict hardly seem like they are the history of the scenic English country style churches of Darien, a quaint little fishing village just 30 minutes north of Jekyll Island. But appearances can be deceiving. Little is known of the religion of Darien’s Indian inhabitants, but the Catholic Church was the first denomination recorded in written history as arriving with Spanish soldiers. Jesuit friars established Mission Santo Domingo de Talaje adjacent to the Indian village where Fort King George State Historic Site now stands sometime after 1566. The Jesuits soon left, replaced by Franciscans who got along better with Spanish military authorities in nearby St. Augustine. But an Indian revolt in 1597 resulted in Father Pedro de Corpa losing his head. An Indian invasion by a tribe led by Englishmen from Charles Town in 1680 burned the mission and brought an end to organized Catholicism in Darien until just after World War II, when the lovely Nativity Of Our Lady sanctuary was built. Presbyterianism came next to Darien with the arrival of the Scottish Highlanders who founded Darien in 1736, setting up a kirk at the same Fort King George site. Later, Charles Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist Church in England and later America, visited and prayed with the Presbyterians at Darien after being spurned by his true love. The Presbyterian Church and all the other churches in Darien but one were burned to the ground during the Civil War by black Union troops depicted in the movie, Glory, which was partially filmed on the Jekyll Island beach. Killed later in battle, the family of Col. Robert Gould Shaw of Massachusetts helped rebuild the Episcopal Church in a touching story, and helped restore the beautiful Methodist Church, set on fire in two places that miraculously went out. Before the Civil War, Darien’s churches had both black and white members, but the churches separated afterward, when quietly dignified St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church was built by freed slaves, along with the stately steepled imposing sanctuary of the First African Baptist Church. Gunshots shattered the quiet of a hot July night in 1960, fired into the parsonage of the Methodist minister who had been crusading against prostitution and clip joints on U.S. 17 fleecing Florida bound Yankees before I-95 was built chronicled in the best selling non-fiction book, Praying For Sheetrock. Although the Methodist minister left town that night, never to return, things have quieted down in Darien. But its stately churches remain, each with a fascinating story of its own. Walking, biking, or driving tours of Darien’s intriguing churches and other historic buildings can be arranged by calling Jekyll’s Golden Islander staff writer Jim Morrison at (912) 437-6808 (local call from Jekyll) or emailing hjamesmorrison@aol.com. Also available are motorboat tours of the Darien waterfront and kayak trips to the eerily beautiful Spanish moss draped cypress trees and freshwater marshes of the adjacent Altamaha River, along with tours of Sapelo and Blackbeard islands, accessible only by boat. In 1916 the Jekyll Island Club began renting to its members a small, two person, electric car for the purpose of touring the island and accessing the beach. The Jekyll Club charged 5 dollars an hour and 20 dollars a day to rent these Red Bugs to its members. Now over 90 years later Red Bug Motors is offering you that same opportunity. Global Electric Motors, a division of DaimlerChrysler has created an electric car completely street legal anywhere on Jekyll Island. Whether it’s to see Jekyll Island, get to lunch or just relax, we hope you will enjoy the ease of Red Bug transportation. If you have any questions please call us at 912-577-6624 or visit us at 500 Riverview Drive in the Jekyll Island Airport.