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| Boats in the Lock, in raising water. |
arine structures are interesting from a challenge point of view. You not only have to deal with the usual structural needs of any civil engineering construction, but you also have to deal with the force of water.
Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, more commonly known locally as Ballard Locks, are a pair of mechanisms to assist in the transport of boats, small ships, etc., between the salty sea waters of the bay in the West and the fresh waters of the lakes to the East, without the salty water getting mixed up with the fresh water in the lakes.
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Vidya in foreground;
boats in Lock, background. |
What is particularly interesting is that the entire mechanism runs on the power of gravity! Another property that is made use of is
the density differential between sea water and fresh water.
There is a considerable park area surrounding the Locks, with a fairly large number of plant species, exciting to botany enthusiasts.
The tours are about 1-hour long, and free. The entire place is operated through the US Army Corps, and is funded by the US Government.
All in all, an excellent place to visit, when in Seattle.
magine our excitement when we recently — sometime last month — read the news that Comcast (is) doubling Internet speeds in Puget Sound region, Spokane.
hihuly Garden & Glass at first didn't impress me. However, as I looked at the photos my son took while we were at the garden, I relished whatever time I had spent there. Sometimes, you see the value of a place or a visit only as you reminisce through the photos that someone else takes, with a different point of view. All of the exhibits in the museum are the work of Dale Chihuly, a glass sculptor and entrepreneur.
usic is a great method to assist in socialization. A few days ago, on May 3, we had opportunity to take part in a music concert conducted by Shruti, a local band of the Seattle area, in support of the non-profit organization Child Relief and You (CRY).