The sun was burning through the early-morning haze as the gates of the small lock that divides Puget Sound and the busy waterway to Lake Union and Lake Washington opened, allowing a half-dozen boats to file out of the chamber in orderly fashion.

There was barely enough wind on Shilshole Bay for a small sailboat to keep moving toward the West Point light. The boats of a few hopeful fishermen rocked gently in the wake of a huge freighter, perhaps a mile away, heading for the open ocean.

It was one of those idyllic boating days on Puget Sound, the kind that brings joy to those who own boats of all sizes, from small fishing craft to luxurious yachts. The destination? It could be any one of a vast myriad of harbors, inlets, state marine parks or marinas, a compelling variety of facilities and attractions that have made the waters of the Pacific Northwest a nautical paradise.

Boating capital of the world? The phrase has been used in past years, perhaps recklessly. Yet when you consider the cruising waters that stretch from Southern Puget Sound north as far as one dares venture—San Juan Islands, Canada’s Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and, for some, Alaska—the term seems to fit.

Other more populated regions may outdo the Northwest in sheer numbers of boats. But few places in the world can come close to this ideal lineup: a panorama of water and mountain scenery in all directions, anchorages that allow an easy escape from the work-a-day world to the solitude of a secluded bay or a world class resort or marina with a range of restaurants, shops and other facilities.

Depending on the taste of your shipmates, you can pick between any number of hideaways in the San Juans or the less celebrated waters of Southern Puget Sound. Washington’s state marine park sytem features dozens of stopovers, many with floats or mooring buoys, and most accessible only by boat.

But what do you do? The answers are many, some prefer to fish. Others go crabbing, or hiking, or beachcombing, or dinghy sailing, or shrimping, or sun-bathing, or shopping. One Mercer Island couple with a sweet tooth has made a hobby of tracking down quality bakeries near favorite boating destinations. For many, just being able to simply escape from every-day activities to read a book, play a favorite CD and totally relax makes boating No. 1 in do-it-yourself recreation.

At some point in almost every cruise, many boat owners like the idea of being pampered at a spiffy resort, such as Roche Harbor, Rosario or Port Ludlow. You might prefer to tie up and explore a quaint town or community such as LaConner, Gig Harbor, Poulsbo or Ganges. Take your golf clubs because you’ll have a pick of numerous courses, most offering a shuttle service from the nearest marina.

For day outings or a spur-of-the-moment special occasion, dining out by boat is not unusual, considering the growing number of restaurants situated on the water or easily accessible by boat.

Several huge boating events get high priority for countless thousands of Northwest skippers. One of spring’s nautical rituals is the traditional opening of the boat season (actually, it never closes). The gathering combines a colorful parade of decorated boats representing boating organizations with international class rowing races, featuring the University of Washington crews. Since unlimited hydroplane racing became a fixture on the Seattle summer sports calendar in 1951, spectator boats have jammed the log boom on the Lake Washington course.

Many boating fans who support UW football attend Husky home games by boat, mooring or anchoring near the stadium. Washington is one of only a few of schools where this is possible.

By the numbers, the state has 1,139 miles of salt water shoreline (Puget Sound, Hood Canal and the 172 San Juan Islands) and 2,389 miles of fresh water shoreline (lakes, reservoirs and the Columbia River).