The self-proclaimed “Chesapeake Bae,” 22-year-old Delia Repasky, has left the dock.
Instagram photoThe recent college graduate plans to spend the rest of the summer aboard Second Wind, a 1984 Catalina 27, cruising the Bay on a solo adventure.
She’s far from a seasoned sailor, and admits that even with some training at the Annapolis School of Seamanship, she still has a lot to learn.
The Chesapeake Bae hopes her journey will inspire others in her age group to get off of their smartphones and try a weekend adventure, even if it’s just to a local park.
She cast off today, planning to sail alone for the first time around Whitehall Bay and the Chesapeake channel. She hopes to spend her first night in Whitehall or Mill Creek.
Repasky has been working for weeks to make the boat cruise-ready. She says she cleaned off years’ worth of “guck” from every crevice, sanded and oiled all of the wood, tuned up the rigging and repaired a broken furler, cleaned the sail and replaced some hardware.
She’ll be video-blogging about her experiences, with the help of Chesapeake Bay Magazine videographer Zach Chmael.
Click below to watch the first episode, just posted on our YouTube channel. Watch as she learns the joys of cleaning a boat, and grapples with what to pack for a cruise with no set itinerary.
Delia will also be posting updates on Instagram. Follow @chesapeakebaymagazine as her journey begins.
