How to Arrange a Burial at Sea

Choosing to have the sea be the final resting place for your or a family member's remains is an option taken by many people, including celebrities Rock Hudson, Janis Joplin, Vincent Price, Ingrid Bergman and more. It's simple and affordable to arrange a burial at sea and can be a poetic last act of love for a loved one or for oneself.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Do some advanced planning. Burial at sea services aren't available from every port. Once you decide from where you want the remains to depart, find a funeral home or crematory in the area and ask them to help you with arrangements, including any required permitting.
2. Make sure you meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. They will want specific information within 30 days of a sea burial, including name of the deceased, the date and location of the burial, the name of the vessel carrying the remains and the port from where the vessel departed.
3. Decide if the ceremony will be attended by you (or family members if the ceremony is for you.) If there are guests, the company may offer refreshments after the ceremony. If no one attends, the ceremony won't cost as much because all that will be needed is a sea captain to say a few words at a short memorial ceremony.
4. Include all the little details in your planning. If you choose to use flowers, they must be freshly cut and wreaths must be biodegradable to quickly decompose in sea water. If you want music, prerecord a short arrangement of some favorites.
5. Ask about additional services. Some companies offer aerial delivery to the burial site or as a separate service and others provide special re-visiting services that allow family to visit the site of the original scattering for a yearly or other type of memorial service.
6. Inquire about military programs. Active military personnel and veterans are able to have their bodies or cremated remains buried at sea by the Navy. For more information call the U.S. Navy's mortuary program at [phone].

Tips & Warnings

• Some companies will also scatter pet remains for a fee.