Charlevoix's history is inseparable from that of the wooden schooner, or goélette. For generations, these handcrafted beauties were not only constructed along the region's shores but created a link and connection between the isolated coastal communities.

The Musée Maritime de Charlevoix showcases this rich history of shipbuilding and coastal navigation. It contains indoor exhibits, outdoor boats to explore, a preserved sawmill and quay, as well as acres of trails that include an adventure course for children made out of shipbuilding materials.

While my travel companions — my three young children — are eager to get outside and climb the boats, I am captivated by the story of Charlevoix's shipping past that is presented within the main building.

Our guide, Claire, is an engaging storyteller. She tells us of how the Marie-Louise, the first schooner built on these shores back in 1793, broke the isolation of people living on the Isle-aux-Coudres and in communities along the mainland; of how craftsmen built hundreds of ships during the 19th century on improvised sites along the Charlevoix shores.

In 1946, a group of locals banned together to build a permanent shipyard in the village so these vessels would have a safe place to spend the long winter months and a sawmill that would make building and repairs easier. It is this shipyard, the Chantiers maritimes de Charlevoix, that houses the museum today.

I'm entralled by the displays of craftsmanship of these boats, the meticulous design models that were created before any wood was even cut. Skills, often passed down from father to son, on how to build these vessels, how to select the wood for them and how to make them watertight, were highly valued. The end results were beautiful and functional ships — carrying necessities to the communities they served.

Claire explains how captains would try to time their fall arrival at the shipyards to be the last ones in because it meant being the first one out in the spring, thus ensuring a longer and more prosperous season.

As wooden boats were slowly phased out in favour of metal ships and roads built to connect these once-isolated communities, schooners disappeared from the St. Lawrence River. The shipyard closed in 1973, permanently ending the era of shipbuilding in Charlevoix.

But this is where my favourite story comes in. As Claire tells me, while shipbuilding and coastal navigation had long been a man's world, it was the women of the community who saved the shipyard from going into disrepair.

Missing the vitality of the shipyard, local women decided to preserve it as a tribute to the wooden schooners and the craftsmen who build them. The museum opened in 1981, saving the historic shipyard from going into disrepair.

Today, the shipyard is designated as a Canadian Historic Site because it is one of the few remaining examples of shipbuilidng from that era. The sawmill is beautifully preserved, the displays are creative and engaging and those that work there are passionate about ensuring the maritime history of this village is not forgotten.

Every inch of this in-situ museum is a love letter to the glory days of the goélette — and I'm here for it.