What a strange, unexpected year it has been for the world! We started the year, as usual, with plans for travel and adventure, and Peter and I jumped right in to enjoying the outdoors early in January, joining a walk with local Audubon Society chapter at Cosumnes River Preserve south of Sacramento, observing and learning about various species of sparrows, ducks, stilts, egrets, mockingbirds, phoebes, and snow geese (flying overhead in enormous flocks).

A few days later, Peter, Katya and I took a day trip to Calaveras Big Trees State Park with our friend Shalako, where we had lots of fun snowshoeing through fresh powder among the giant sequoias. 

Peter, Shalako, Sherri and Katya

Shalako, Peter and Katya

The next day found us at home hosting a murder mystery party. 

Sherri, Katya and Peter

On the last day of January, Peter and I left Katya in charge of the homefront and flew to Guatemala, with our first destination being the charming and historic town of Antigua. For a couple of days, we explored the cobblestone streets, beguiled by the beauty of the architecture and the surrounding mountains and the colorful displays of Mayan textiles and other goods. I loved it there and could write volumes about the sights and experiences, but I've already done that. If you are interested in stories and photos about Antigua and other places we visited earlier this year, please see our sailing blog at https://thebrownsmantra.blogspot.com.

Maya woman weaving on a hip loom

After two days in Antigua, we drove to the town of Chichicastenago, famous for its bustling Sunday market. Our eyes were dazzled by the displays of textiles and yarn, fresh flowers, local produce, beans, meat and fish in vivid colors. Inside the cathedral, Catholicism and indigenous spiritual practices were blended in a unique form of prayer and worship.

Young women lighting candles at an altar in the smoky cathedral

From there, we continued on to Panajachel, where we left the car for a couple of days and took a boat to a lakeside lodge on the shore of Lake Atitlán, enjoying wonderful hospitality and accomodations with fantastic views of the pristine water and volcanic peaks. We walked to the nearest town, Santa Cruz; from the lakeside, we took a tuk-tuk up the steep and winding road to the main part of the village, where we enjoyed an appetizing lunch at a non-profit restaurant training local youth for the hospitality industry.

Sherri at the restaurant in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

After two relaxing days at the lake, we continued up into the highlands along the Pan-American Highway amongst overloaded lorries, buses and older cars and trucks. We saw a different side of Guatemala, one of poverty, deforestation, and mountainsides scarred with enormous quarries.

Old women carrying firewood for cooking

We arrived in the city of Huehuetenango, shocked to find that I had booked us a hotel trying to mimic the luxury of the Vegas Strip, and not meeting the benchmarks. The room was adequate and the staff were attentive and courteous, but we cringed at the pretense of opulence and found absolutely nothing to admire on the dirty concrete city streets. Although booked for two nights, we left the next morning, choosing to spend another day in the graceful city of Antigua. We did stop for a short visit to the main tourist site in the area, some Maya ruins.

We stayed at a different and even more charming hotel in Antigua. The welcoming cobblestone streets and sidewalks led us to cafes and restaurants with excellent food and lovely courtyards and shops (and I don't even like to shop!). We could have stayed longer, but it was time to return to our second home, S/V Mantra, which we had left last November docked at Boatique along the Río Dulce.

Our plan was to spend a week, maybe two, getting ready to sail again. We actually cast off on March 1! Unable to find a new engine exhaust pipe or any materials out of which Peter could fabricate one, we had to order and wait for a new one to arrive from the States. Boatique is a lovely location in the jungle, and we enjoyed watching the monkeys and the birds and chatting with young backpackers passing through, but I simply did not have enough to do to occupy my time. Peter and I did go on a one-day excursion to a hot springs waterfall and a canoe trip up a stream through a gorge, but otherwise, life was very uneventful. The property was isolated and, although it was possible to take a lancha from the small resort to town, there really was nothing to do in town but shop for produce or drink at a bar. I spent a lot of time lounging by the pool and reading. 

Howler monkey

Paddling around the resort in a traditional dugout canoe

Mantra on the dock

Green heron visiting Mantra

Cascada Caliente

Intriguing spider web

What a delight it was to be moving on the water again, traveling down the Río Dulce toward the pristine waters of the western Caribbean. After a few days, we were in Belize. While enjoying sailing and snorkeling, we also became more aware of the spread of COVID-19 in the world. The cruising community was paying attention and was concerned about how a pandemic might affect our ability to enter, leave and travel within the waters of nations of the world. The Western Caribbean Net, a single-sideband radio community established and maintained, as are many throughout the world, by volunteers on their boats, was disseminating information and providing a forum for all of us to raise our questions and express our concerns. It became clear that this was serious, and we were wondering if our dear friends Patty and Shalako would stick with their plan to join us on Mantra in Belize City. They did. Based on their account of how people were reacting to the COVID news in the US, we observed a stark contrast between the blithe attitude most of America seemed to have about the disease and the grave apprehension of cruisers and the people of Belize, which, at that point, had no cases. 

Peter enjoying sailing again

Peter on the streets of Placencia

The four us settled onto the boat just as a storm was passing by, providing us with a welcoming rainbow. We sailed to and anchored by cays on the barrier reef and at Turneffe and Lighthouse Atolls before ending up at Caulker Cay. Sometimes local people came out to our boat to sell fish. It is not a cash economy on the outer islands; they trade for beer or cigarettes. Where would they spend money?

Rainbow in Belize

Peter cutting up fish from a bartering deal

Adult and baby red-footed boobies on Half Moon Cay

Peter, Sherri, Shalako and Patty - the only customers at a restaurant on Long Cay

At Caulker Cay, we found that most of the tourists had already left, and the only non-natives were cruisers. The beaches and sandy streets were empty, and the restaurants and stores were closing up.

"Ain't nobody on the beach" (The Eagles)

While making the most of the tropical wonders, we made sure that we stayed tuned to the net, our only source of information. As countries in the Caribbean started to lock down and close borders, we cruisers were all faced with decisions about whether to stick with our cruising plans or try to return to home ports. For many, Belize seemed safe at that point, but concern grew as the airport announced it was shutting down (Patty got on the last flight out.), the first case in Belize was identified, the marine sanctuaries were closed in rapid succession, cruisers were instructed not to move around, and it was not clear that the government would issue visa extensions or exit visas. Many of us took on extra provisions (Imagine buying 20 loaves of bread for 3 people!) and chose to leave without notice or permission. 

Shalako, who had planned to sail with us to the Carolinas, remained on board, and we headed for Key West not at all sure that the ports would be open to foreign vessels. (Mantra is registered in the UK.) We sailed past the Yucatán Peninsula, anchoring at atolls and in bays without ever going on land. The sailing was fantastic, but it was surreal to see places like Cancún with miles of deserted beaches and megaresorts with only security lights on at night. In mid-April, at Key West, all the marinas were closed, and we were given permission to go on land just long enough to clear customs and immigration and get provisions. Shalako flew home from there. 

Daily dolphin sighting

A day of smooth sailing toward Florida

Peter and Shalako, a fine first mate

Peter and I spent a month traveling from Key West to Deltaville,Virginia, in the Chesapeake Bay. As there was no rush, we took our time and waited for weather windows (after one sail with a small craft advisory). We enjoyed traveling inside the barrier islands of Georgia, along the Intracoastal Waterway. It would have been nice to explore places such as Cumberland Island, but National Parks were closed at that time. It was pleasant docking in Charleston, South Carolina, for two days and spending hours and hours walking on solid ground, enjoying the architecture and the gardens and the balmy weather without tourist crowds. People arriving on private boats were about the only visitors since all the hotels were closed. 

Sailing on the Atlantic off the coast of Florida with a small craft advisory

Historic sites of Cumberland National Seashore closed because of the pandemic

Dolphin approaching our kayak

Peter on the streets of Charleston, South Carolina

Alligator near our kayak on Winyah Bay

Georgetown, South Carolina

Mantra at Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina

Peter had decided on my least favorite place on the Chesapeake Bay to leave the boat. Deltaville, a sleepy town of about 600 people, has lots of boat yards and marinas but absolutely nothing to do (except to work on the boat or set off for some other place). The last time we were there, on Epicurus, it was unbearably hot and humid. In May, it was just humid. I could not get out of there fast enough, and I flew home at the end of the month. Peter stayed until the end of June to do work on the boat, apparently and inexplicably enjoying himself.

I threw myself into various projects--gardening, sewing, jewelry making, and crafting. Katya and I worked on many of things together. We also went to the foothills and mountains for day hikes. Peter joined us in yard and house projects as well as hikes when he returned. Since the program for vet techs that she had planned to start in the fall closed due to COVID, Katya started working part-time in retail; she is now employed at PetSmart. She finally got me to agree to have a pet in the house, so Dottie, a dwarf Siberian hamster, is now her roommate.

Dorothea, affectionately called Dottie

Katya grew tired of hiking, and Peter keeps busy outside the home golfing and paddling with friends a few times a week, so I have been hiking alone a couple of times a month, which I enjoy. I miss playing tennis and spending time with my friends at the club, and we are all sorry we cannot host parties or join friends at restaurants to mingle over meals.

Jack London State Historic Park

I had created and accumulated too many hand-made bags, bracelets, candles, wreaths and other craft items. What was I going to do with it all? I decided to have a fund-raiser in which neighbors and friends could bring a monetary donation for local non-profits and choose as many items as they wanted just for stopping by. This happened on a beautiful--and fortunately, smoke-free--day in September, and we were able to raise over $2000 for charity. 

Fundraising event

We are all relieved that the November elections are over. I volunteered for four weeks as an election officer, helping to monitor a ballot drop-off box to ensure that there would be no question of voter fraud. 

Sherri dressed up as a witch on Halloween while monitoring ballot drop-offs

For my birthday, Peter planned a surprise, three days in Yosemite National Park, staying at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel. Yosemite is a wonderful destination, and it had snowed for a day right before we arrived, so it was a winter wonderland. Of course, it was a great joy in itself just to pack a suitcase and get in the car and go anywhere after months at home. We enjoyed long hikes and short walks during the days and leisurely evenings in the warmth of the lodge, even with face masks and social distancing.

Outside the Ahwahnee Hotel

Frost-edged leaves

Peter on a hike

El Capitan from the west

COVID-19 forced us to cancel the annual Rodgers family beach vacation in July, and we will not be joining family back east for Christmas. Matthew went to London for graduate work in the late summer of 2019, and we have not seen him since then. He will spending the holiday there with only one of his British cousins, Simon, with whom he shares a flat. They had to cancel plans to travel to Nottingham. 

Until November, no one in the Brown or Rodgers families had contracted COVID, but my 94-year-old dad, who lives in an assisted living facility in West Virginia, became infected around Thanksgiving and was in the  hospital for eight days. Fortunately, he has recovered and he has now had the first dose of the vaccine.

December and the Christmas season have been quiet--no parties, no concerts, no traveling. Our tree is up and the house is decorated. We celebrated Katya's birthday outdoors with three friends (with masks) around the fire pit. 

Katya's best friend Katie and Katya with her cake

This year has made us realize how many blessings we easily take for granted. We miss our time with family and friends and the ability to travel freely. We appreciate even more our lovely home and garden and those whom we are able to be with. We are really grateful to have an outdoor space, to invite friends over for socially distanced, small gatherings. We are thankful for those who have made the effort to keep connected. And we realize that we are so fortunate to be healthy, to have a place to live and food to eat, to be financially secure, to not have lost family members, to not be entirely isolated during this pandemic. We have been inconvenienced, but we have not suffered tragedy. 

Our hope is that, after this is all over, we will remember not to take our blessings for granted, that we will continue to help others in need, and that we will actively work to make this world a place where we can all live in peace and security.

With love from Sherri, Peter, Katya and Matthew