Just the thought of boats has drummed up countless daydreams since the dawn of time.

The explorers in their tall ships bound to discover new lands. Lewis and Clark battling the mighty Columbia before it had dams. Sailors setting out to circumnavigate the globe. Fisherman fighting Mother Nature’s most vicious elements for the deadliest catch. And that idyllic still moment, watching the sun set as the silhouette of a sailboat disappears into the horizon.

We are fascinated by water craft and their fearless captains. And Ballard knows this more than any ‘hood in town. Here, it’s just as fun to get up close and personal with boats as it is to watch and daydream about them from a distance.

And what better way to get a glimpse of real boat life, than to visit the Ballard Locks—as boats go in and out, up and down. This marvel of engineering is a mesmerizing activity for all ages.

Named after U.S. Army Major Hiram Martin Chittenden (the Seattle District Engineer for the Corps of Engineers from April 1906 to September 1908), the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (also known as the Ballard Locks, or simply The Locks), are a complex of locks located in Seattle’s Lake Washington Ship Canal.

Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the locks were built in 1911 so that coal and timber could be transported by boat. The Locks formally opened on July 4, 1917, and they were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

Technically speaking, the Locks not only maintain the fresh water level of Lake Washington and Lake Union (located at 20 to 22 feet above sea level), they also prevent the sea water of Puget Sound from mixing with the fresh water lakes, and of course, move boats back and forth between the two places.

Boats as big as 760 feet in length and as small as a kayak can make a pass, and visitors can catch all the action. The Locks are one of Seattle’s most popular tourist attractions, but locals love to wander down and appreciate the mechanical art in their own backyard too.

Doesn’t everyone love a good parade of tugs, barges, sailboats, and yachts?

What’s more, a visit to The Locks also comes with a gorgeous botanical park as well as a window into the inner workings of our local wildlife at the accompanying fish ladder (all free).

Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden is a prime spot to relax and boat watch. Or, pick up a copy of the garden pamphlet at the visitor center and spend the day discovering and identifying its rare and exotic plants.

And if you’re more into fauna than flora, the fish ladder is a destination all its own. Physically integrated into The Locks for the migration of fish, the ladder is a critical link for salmon and steelhead heading upstream to spawn.

The ladder features 21 “steps” for spawning fish to climb to get to the freshwater side, and smolt return to the Sound by venturing down. The best time to see spawning King salmon is now and Cohos are seen in late September.

To keep the fish theme going, head across the parking lot to the Lockspot for Halibut and Chips and perhaps even a glimpse at your favorite star from "Deadliest Catch" (rumor has it the Cap’n Sig hangs here and the T-shirts on the wall read “Lockspot, Ballard, USA: The Deadliest Bar,” as four episodes were filmed there).

Of course, if it’s a sunny day, you can just grab your fish to go and picnic at The Locks.

Whether you go to see wildlife, watch ships or sprawl out on the lawn to eat fresh caught fish and chips, like a daydream of ocean’s past, the boats of the Ballard Locks are calling you to witness the captivating life of a seafarer first-hand. Yarrr!

What:
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks

Where:
3015 54th St. N.W.
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 783-7059
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/locks.htm

When:
Grounds: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. year-round
Fish ladder: 7 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. year-round

Visitor center schedules:
Summer hours are daily, May 1 through Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Winter hours are Oct. 1 through April 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Free guided tours offered March 1 through Nov. 30