Friday, November 17, 2017

How To Plan The Burial At Sea Florida Ocean Lovers Have Requested

By Susan Perry


Generations ago, when deaths occurred on the high seas, bodies were routinely thrown overboard. Storage and decomposition were a problem. Today people choose to be buried at sea for a variety of reasons. Ocean burials fall under the Environmental Protection Agency's jurisdiction. If a loved one has a favorite pond, lake, or river under consideration, contacting state and local authorities is necessary. The burial at sea Florida ocean enthusiasts stipulate is not always easy.

First of all, you have to go far enough away from land that the casket or ashes don't end up drifting onto shore. Three nautical miles is the minimum distance acceptable. Six hundred feet is the minimum depth requirement. Florida is one exception that requires three times that depth in certain areas. You have to keep in mind that the outer continental shelf may make it necessary to go out much farther to reach water that deep.

If you are burying a casket in the sea, there are a number of federal regulations you must follow. No plastics are allowed. There must to be at least six holes drilled into the casket to make sure it sinks, and some extra weight might have to be added. Stainless steel chains have to be wrapped around the casket to ensure that it stays on the ocean bottom.

When you're scattering ashes at sea, you don't have any water depth requirements, but you still have to travel at least three nautical miles out. It is permissible to dump ashes out of a plane over the ocean, but you need to hire someone who knows how to do it. If you don't, the winds can blow the ashes back inside the plane and cover the mourners.

Sea burial services are available on most coasts. The size of the boat and the fees charged depend on how many passengers there will be and the type of service conducted. You can go out in your own boat or charter a private one, but you will need the equipment necessary to lift the casket up and out of the boat far enough for everyone's safety.

Depending on how far out into the sea you have to go, burying someone at sea can get pretty expensive. You will have to transport the casket to the harbor or airport, charter a boat or airplane, and travel to an approved spot. Sea burial may end up costing significantly more than traditional land burials.

Naval burials, aboard navy vessels, is possible under certain conditions. The Naval Mortuary Affairs Office handles the particulars. To be eligible an individual must be active duty or honorably discharged or family members of the same. Military Sealift Command civilian marine personnel also qualify.

A person's last wishes should be honored if at all possible. A burial at sea may seem unusual, but it can be done. As a remaining loved one, you should do everything you can to make the request a reality.




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