THE LOCKS

 The Locks is a big point of interest in Seattle because it is a "water elevator" for boats between Lake Washington (freshwater) and Puget Sound (saltwater). Lake Washington's water level is higher than the sound...so basically all boats from yachts to kayaks enter a little channel in between the two bodies of water the close the huge gates and open the pipes...the water drains into the lower water level until the channel is now at the same water level as the Sound the open the sound gates and the boats go on their way. Then the boats waiting in the Sound to get to the Lake come into the lower water level channel they close the Sound gates and then open the pipes and the higher water level fills the channel until they are back up to the same water level...and that is my best description of the LOCKS! Very interesting!