burial at sea

D

deltabighat

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A very good friend of mine asked me the other day a question I had no answer for. If anyone has good information, I would appreciate hearing from you. His brother died recently and the family wants to spread his ashes at sea at Santa Cruz from my boat. Is that legal, do you need a permit, do folks do that all the time on the sly.....or what. Can I be arrested or fined for such a thing. I need to know these things before I can give him an answer.

DBH
 
IMHO: Don't ask; don't tell.

I was asked to do the same thing. Luckily, the old friend passed away in the winter, and nothing became of it.
 
You're not polluting anything and as long as you don't accept money for this, I don't see any issues. Do your friend a favor and take a cruise out on the water. Otherwise the ashes will end up in the trash.
 
My understanding is that it is not legal unless done through a licensed service.

On the other hand, no one ever follows up to see how the ashes were disposed of. So like sugibert said, don't ask, don't tell.

Rod
 
It's done all of time. At my parent's request I had their cremated remains buried at sea at a specific place five years ago. I believe a three mile limit rule applies (you may want to check on this) but the locatation specified was well beyond that. There were about eight of us present on that day off of the north coast. The combination of the people there, the length of the trip, the birds, sea lions and broken sky on a glassy sea made it pretty unforgetable.
 
I'm sure there have been a number of people that have even had their ashes dumped in the Delta.
 
Yes, I've been to one of those, too.
 
If you can spread ashes in Central Park and Washington Sq., I'd imagine you can do it at sea. I do like this option however...http://environmentalism.suite101.com/article.cfm/cremated_ashes_to_artificial_reefs
 
quote:
Originally posted by lil red truck

If you can spread ashes in Central Park and Washington Sq., I'd imagine you can do it at sea. I do like this option however...http://environmentalism.suite101.com/article.cfm/cremated_ashes_to_artificial_reefs

Click to expand...
Central Park? Wonderful. Just what I always wanted. Some bum pissing all over my ashes.
 
I guess you haven't been to Central Park lately. Only the finest people are allowed to P there these days.
 
Seriously, if you have the cremation done through a funeral home they give you a permit along with the remains. You send in the permit after disposition of the remains. I don't know if scattering ashes in the Delta is legal but I know of two instances in which this has been done.

When I followed my parents wishes the ashes were scattered legally at sea. The area was way on the north end of the coast so I hired a boat a couple of months in advance for the comfort of the survivors. North coast seas can be nasty. The cost was minimal, only a couple of hundred. Some fishing boats will do that on the off season and that's what I figured my parents had in mind. I know my Dad would have approved, for sure. I booked for a date when calm seas were likely.

Other than that all I needed were the remains, a hotel to book everyone, a nice aluminum mixing bowl and a shiny new garden trowel to mingle the remains on the way out to the site.
 
Go for it and respect their wishes. too hel with the authorities and they would nlu know if you tell them.
I have already set up the scatter of my ashes with a sailboat captain in te Chesapeake, to leave the dock under sail, go to a specific location, and celebrate with champagne and a good single malt scotch whisky when they scatter and then sail back to the slip. I have given the captain permision to use the engine to get back into the slip as I hope he will have sampled the whiskey by then. He knows he is invited to the celebration at the bar and restaurant next to his slip once he has tied up. I hope this will be a party to remember.
 
I agree as well - it is his final request and you should go for it. Don't ask and don't tell. I sprinkled a dear friend off the center of the Golden Gate per her request. Quiet an experience and every time I see the bridge, I think of her.

Jim
 
i used to berth next to the neptune soceity 's boat, they would scatter the ashes behind angel island . iv'e seen them many times out there
roy
 
Just did one Memorial Day Weekend. We were well inside the three mile limit. The ashes were in a weighted clam shell style canister with holes drilled in it. It is guaranteed to sink. There is no pollution. We did this in an outgoing tide and the shell traveled out about a mile and sunk. Quite impressive and befitting a fellow boater and friend. If he is a boat owner, he should be bonged ashore for the final time.
 
Great imput folks....I really appreciate your information. I think one thing important here that was mentioned was having a particular spot picked out so that the family can always know almost exactly where the ceremony took place even though the remains drift far and wide. My brother is a superior court judge in LA and the very first case he ever heard involved a botched attempt to spread ashes over Santa Monica bay by air. The pilot was new to this sort of thing and when he opened the window, most of the ashes blew back into the plane all over everyone. It resulted in a lawsuit.

DBH
 
Many of my family members ashes were spread in the bay by the Neptune society. Only twice it was calm enuff to go beyond the Gate(but inside of Pt Diablo)
 
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