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When Lynn Kershner’s longtime friend and next-door neighbor passed away a few years ago, his friends and family members decided to scatter his ashes off- shore, near Chincoteague, VA. Kershner remembers, “Once the ceremony began, I understood why John would have wanted a service like this. He was a wildlife artist who spent a majority of his time on or near these waters. He was happiest here when he was alive, and this is where he’d want to be now.”

Another BoatU.S. member recalls his boats, depending on the social status of the close family friend’s sea service much the deceased, they symbolize the great impor- same way. “The service was very touching tance vessels and the ocean had on these and appropriate for someone so free-spirit- civilizations and how they hoped to reach ed. Not only did the service fit his personali- Valhalla, the afterlife. According to one ty, it also helped us find closure expert, a special ship burial existed in the with his loss.” Viking society in which a body was cremat- Although having one’s ed and buried inside a ring of stones shaped ashes scattered offshore or a burial like a boat. The deceased’s spirit immediate- at sea may seem a bit unconventional to ly went to Valhalla. some, it’s actually becoming quite popular. Fast forward several centuries. While Many notable people have reportedly cho- the concept of burial at sea is still with us, sen cremation scattering services at sea, the traditions surrounding how it’s done, at including, John F. Kennedy Jr., Vincent least in modern-day America, have changed Price, Ingrid Bergman, and Robert Mitchum. significantly. Today, funerals at sea can be Celebrity or not, thousands of people are performed in various ways through a variety choosing sea burials as their “way to go.” of companies that cater to just about every possible way one can think of to be laid to rest in the world’s waters. The Neptune Society, a well-established 60,000 member organization arranging low cost cremation services since 1973, offers a variety of services from simple cremation and scattering at sea to private memorial services for family and friends on board a boat prior to scattering. The formal sea cere- mony provides arrangements for five to 25 Burial at sea has been an accepted guests aboard the service boat, and includes funerary rite for thousands of years. The flowers and a memorial plaque, with the lat- ancient Egyptians were known to send their itude and longitude coordinates, which is dead off to sea floating in some type of presented to the family. Although scattering watercraft, but perhaps the most familiar at sea is not required of Neptune Society’s culture associated with burials at sea are the members, it is the most common choice. Vikings. Many a movie has depicted “Our Los Angeles location has at least one, deceased Viking warriors being sent off in and sometimes two, boat trips per day for a their burning boats. However, archaeologists scattering service at sea,” said Doug Irving, have uncovered solid evidence of numerous Neptune Society’s Chief Operating Officer. Viking ships throughout Scandinavia and Other smaller outfits providing crema- other Viking-occupied territories that were tion sea services can be found all over the buried on land with their owners. East and West coasts. Sea Services, based Photos by Eternal Reefs, Inc. Photos by Eternal Reefs, From large 100-foot-plus ships to small out of Long Island, New York, offers a

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Captain’s Service, which includes a sea cere- ceremony to keep the memorial reefs con- must also be performed at a depth of 600 mony performed by a licensed captain with- stantly growing. Soon, corals, sponges, fish feet or more. And though casketed burials out the family present, or a Family Service, and other sea life make the reef their home at sea are legal in the U.S., there are many providing a boat and crew to take friends in this unique method of sea burial for the restrictions and requirements, and the cost and family along for the water ceremony. environmentally conscious. is generally much more than a cremation Family services range in price depend- Celebrate Life!, a company based in sea service. ing on the time of year, the time on the Lakeside, California, offers a fireworks dis- Any individual wanting to perform water, and the number of guests aboard. play ceremony with fireworks made from the such services themselves must comply with Along with traditional scattering, Sea deceased’s cremated remains. They offer a all applicable laws and regulations and must Services also offers biodegradable ocean urns marine celebration service, complete with also have all permits required to carry out a for burial at sea. “Our seashell urns descend song accompaniment. Prices vary depending sea service. Professional sea service compa- to the ocean floor, and degrade after several on ceremony location, length of display, and nies have the necessary permits for perform- permit costs for the fireworks. ing such services. All burials within U.S. The military also offers burial at sea waters must be reported within 30 days to services for active duty and retired members, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honorably discharged veterans, and their regional office from the region in which the family members. The privilege of a naval sea vessel carrying the remains departed. service is also extended to some civilians California is the only state who have served the country in a notable with a defined law allowing cre- way, and are deemed eligible by the Chief of mation scatterings at least 500 Naval Operations. Military sea services are yards off the shoreline. Other provided for cremated remains and casketed states do not have laws either remains. allowing or disallowing scattering But are these various ceremonies at sea, ashes within state waters, according from the “conventional” scattering at sea to CANA. from a boat to ashes being blasted in a col- Whether it’s a spiritual, emotional, orful pyrotechnic display over water, repre- or another type of connection you have sentative of a growing trend in cremations to the sea, if a sea burial sounds right for overall? Absolutely, says Jack Springer, you, you might want to start looking into it Executive Director for Cremation now. Almost every company specializing in Association of North America (CANA). “In such services offers pre-arranged plans so 1982, cremations only represented about you can choose exactly what you want, 12% of deaths in the U.S., but our latest fig- down to the very last detail. Times are ures for 2000 show that number has gone changing, and there’s no telling what types up to nearly 26%,” Springer said. of funerary services may be offered 50 years One main reason, says Springer, is from now. But the tradition of sea burial has people are dying older, and they look at cre- lasted thousands of years, and will most mation as a simpler alternative to in-ground likely continue as a tradition for some time burials. Services can be held at a later date, to come. — By Meredith Fitzpatrick Photos by Eternal Reefs at a time convenient for friends and family An artificial reef, from Eternal Reefs, is lowered to attend. Neptune Society Headquarters into the water (top). After three years, the reef Another source, the Wirthlin Report, Sherman Oaks, CA has become home to marine life (bottom). developed by an independent research com- TTolloll Free:Free: (888)(888) 637-8863637-8863 pany, shows the primary reason people www.neptunesociety.com minutes providing a respectful means of choose cremation is the lower cost. Sea Sea Services LLongong Island,Island, NYNY depositing one’s remains in the water,” said Services, for example, offers sea ceremonies TTolloll Free:Free: (888)551-1277(888)551-1277 Bruce Sweet, a licensed captain with the starting at $195, and Celebrate Life! marine www.seaservices.com company. “The Catholic Church prohibits packages start at $3,250, which is consider- EternalEternal ReefsReefs surface scattering, and this offers an alterna- ably less than in-ground burials which can Decatur, GA tive for those who want to be laid to rest at range in cost from the low thousands to TTolloll Free:Free: (888)423-7333(888)423-7333 www.eternalreefs.com sea.” more than $10,000. www.eternalreefs.com A few unconventional companies offer So why choose a service at sea? Could Celebrate Life!, Inc. LaLakkeside,eside, CACA their customers some quite creative methods it be because of the peace and serenity so TTolloll Free:Free: (888)883-7060(888)883-7060 of depositing ashes at sea. Eternal Reefs, many associate with water? As one BoatU.S. www.celebratelife.net based in Georgia, combines cremated member put it, “A sea service is perfect for Casualty Assistance Branch remains with a cement mixture used to cre- people who love the water.” Naval Personnel Command (NPC-621) ate artificial reefs in various locations along One thing that probably will not 5720 Integrity Drive Millington, TN 38055-6210 the east coast and Texas. Eternal Reefs has change with time are the various restrictions TTolloll Free:Free: (800)368-3202(800)368-3202 three different sizes of reef balls; the larger in place for burials at sea within the United Cremation Association of North America ones are a good option for loved ones who States. Federal law requires that all cremated Chicago, IL want to be buried together. Several reef and casketed burials be performed three www.cremationassociation.org structures are lowered into the water in each nautical miles offshore; casketed funerals

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