Some people are simply born and bred for adventure. Baton Rouge native Haily Celestin can certainly be counted as one of them. Celestin, who now calls St. Maarten home, recently embarked on an epic Arctic Circle sailing expedition with her fiancé and a small group of other adventure-seeking friends.

“Three years ago, I knew nothing about sailing,” Celestin says. “You grow within yourself when you overcome fears, such as crossing such big bodies of water and being so alone on the open ocean. Conquering fears and allowing yourself to be in an uncomfortable situation is always difficult but is often one of the most rewarding things you can do in your life.”

The still-ongoing journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing. From long night shifts to pesky icebergs, the crew has experienced some bumps on the way. But the reward of seeing “beautiful wonderland of volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls and geysers” is making it all worth it.

Read the full story of Celestin’s adventure at sea in the August issue of inRegister, available on newsstands now.