And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.

—John Masefield

From the very beginning, New England has had a special relationship with the sea. From the waters off the rocky shores came fish for sustenance, adventure for the taking, and connections with the world at large that sent Yankee products abroad and brought a better life home.

The sea brought settlers early in the 17th century. And by the middle of that century, after the initial work of carving out homes in the wilderness was done and folks began looking beyond their shores for both trade and exploration, shipbuilding became a major industry.

Abundant timber and increasing skill at the craft meant that by the middle of the next century, New England shipyards were cranking out on average of one ship a day.

It's hard to underestimate the legacy of this maritime activity, point out Robert G. Albion, William A. Baker and Benjamin W. Labaree in their book "New England and the Sea."

Although at any given time, only 10 percent of the population was involved in maritime work, "the activities of this small fraction gave to the region a special flavor that has remained to this day," say the authors. "What the mariners of New England did was to transform their native land from a random collection of farming communities and give it a place of significance in the world at large."

This is the maritime legacy that is captured so well at Mystic Seaport, aptly known as "the museum of America and the sea." The 17-acre open-air, open-sea museum on the Mystic River in Mystic, Conn., includes a 19th century coastal village with historic ships, extensive exhibit galleries, a preservation shipyard where visitors can often see shipbuilding in action and a huge collections research center.

In the village . . .

What was life like along the New England coast during what was known as the Golden Age of American maritime activity? Perhaps not quite as golden as it sounds. These were labor-intensive times, when everything from blacksmithing to bucket-making was done by hand. Meals were prepared over a wood fire in kitchens where water was hauled in most likely from a well.

Dozens of houses and buildings in the village demonstrate this life. Most were moved here from locations throughout New England and restored to their period. Daily activities, from cooking to blacksmithing, give you a sense of what life was like.

Sea captains who took high risks in sailing far-flung seas often reaped high rewards — if they survived. And their homes reflected a degree of wealth not shared by most of the population. But amidst the luxury, you can't help but wonder about the loneliness of the women and children left behind. "Widow's walks," roof-top outlooks that offered a view of the sea, attest to that.