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.

Town records reveal the hazards of sea life. In 1783, in the seaport of Salem, for example, there were more than 400 widows.

Still, when you set foot on one of the full-scale ships at Mystic Seaport, it is easy to understand the lure of the sea and appreciate the excitement of sailing under cloth sail.

Among the ships that call the seaport home are the Charles W. Morgan, the world's last surviving wooden whale ship, built in 1841 in New Bedford, Mass.; the Joseph Conrad, built in 1882 as a Danish training vessel; and the L.A. Dunton, one of the last of the Gloucester fishing schooners.

These ships all have National Historic Landmark status, and speak tellingly of life at sea.

In the galleries . . .

Sea life is further interpreted through the many exhibits offered at Mystic Seaport. Central among them is "Voyages: Stories of America and the Sea," which personalizes the sea experiences through the lives of immigrants, explorers, ship captains and other seafarers. "Sea Dogs" offers up great "tails" of the sea. And a new exhibit highlights experiences of women and the sea.

A display of figureheads — the colorful life-size figures attached to ships' bows — tells stories of myth and superstition as well as artistry and craft. Elegant cane tops are part of a scrimshaw exhibit. Model ships tell of the fascination of hobbyists and others. A miniature layout of the town of Mystic and the Seaport provides another perspective on the place.

In the shipyards . . .

Between 1784 and 1919 — this period known as the Golden Age — more than 600 ships were constructed along the Mystic River, many of them were the fastest clipper ships in the world.

The great period of shipbuilding ended with the advent of steam power. But it lives on at Mystic's preservation shipyard, where skilled craftsmen use 19th-century methods and tools to preserve, restore and renew old wooden ships as well as build authentic replicas of new ones.

The Amistad, famous in film, for one, was built in the cavernous H.B. duPont shipyard. A second-floor balcony allows visitors to view whatever current project is going on there.

Skiffs and dories and other such craft are built in the Small Boat Shop, where work is often done by college students and others taking a shipbuilding course.