All About Burials At Sea & How to Perform Ash Scattering

Burial at sea – Ash Scattering is an old tradition and very popular option which families usually perform for a deceased loved one. It is an ecologically friendly and good alternative to traditional burial ceremonies. With the adoption of this nautical tradition, it has been found to be less expensive and better alternative to traditional burial. It is also performed for those who have chosen to live their lives all in water either by profession or by matter of choice (swimming, boating, fishermen etc.)

Services

There are various services usually performed by the family which is usually led by the captain of the vessel with the recitation of a few words like "Commitment to the Deep". Normally, there is usually no presence of the clergy, but sometimes, clergy may be present with the invitation of the family. The ceremony is witnessed with a supply of good music by the musician and ashes are then scattered in an organized manner. In the follow up of this tradition, the ship’s bell is being struck eight times to signify the final end of the watch, the active duty period of the sailor’s life at sea.

Ash scattering ceremony is usually performed at any location selected by the family; it is usually a very quiet location free of water disturbance and boat traffic. The recording of GPS location during the ceremony makes it a memorable occasion to witness. A few days after completion, a certificate is sent to the family for record purpose. It is also possible to perform a burial at sea without the remains of the deceased, this way; flowers are placed in the water. This is not purely a burial at sea, but it gives the family and friends a feeling of closure to assist them in the grieving process.

Burials at sea are not only done for dead humans, it can also be performed for your beloved pets that have passed away. It is also performed to give final respect to the souls of departed pets.

How to Perform Ash Scattering

There are three known ways to perform burial at sea ceremony (ash scattering over the water).

First among these is scattering directly from the container that is received from the cremation facility - The ashes are scattered directly into the water on the bottom wind side of the boat. Special care should be taken to see that the ashes fall in the water and don’t get blown back or got stuck to the yacht’s back. You can only use this method when you are close to the water.

Another method is scattering is making use of a biodegradable urn - These urns are specially designed to steadily scatter the ashes back to the sea. The water-soluble urn will usually float for quite a few minutes, then gradually sink and degrade or melt into the sea. As the urn is slowly drifting away, the family will toss petals or flowers back to the sea to mark the final tribute.

And the last method is scattering from a container or basket- The loved one’s ashes are placed in a container or basket while rose petals are placed on top. The basket is gradually lowered to the surface of the water and the basket is turned down to empty the flower and the ashes. In this method, the rose petals will float on the water surface while the ash is dispersed in the ocean.

Retaining a Portion of the Remains

Although burial at sea is a beautiful way to say goodbye, some families will also choose to keep a small portion of the ashes as a keepsake. Keepsakes take many forms such as small urns, teddy bears, jewelry, etc. Clients are often surprised at the myriad ways remains may be retained.

Although, burial at sea is an interesting way to say goodbye, some families still keep part of the ashes as a remembrance through many forms like as small urns, jewelry, teddy bears, etc.

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