Eight Bells and Burials at Sea
Never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee . . .
It comes to us all sooner or later. The last sundown, the last cruise . . . eight bells.
If you’d rather have your remains placed where you felt most alive, burial at sea or scattering of your ashes at sea may be for you.
Not only that, but sea burial requires no burial plot, no tombstone or crypt—and consequently can be considerably less expensive than burial ashore.
While ash scattering is probably the most common sea burial, some services like Captain Brad White’s New England Burials at Sea can also arrange full body burials at sea.
Naturally, handling a body rather than cremains is more expensive, and added services increase the pricing.
A Nationwide Service Located in New England
New England Burials at Sea® (NEBS) is one of the largest in the business, with nationwide services. With headquarters in Marshfield Hills, MA, the company says it can accommodate up to 400 passengers in some locations. They use USCG licensed and insured vessels departing from 73 ports.
The company offers attended or unattended year round memorial cruises for traditional ash scatterings or complete full body (casket free) eco friendly sea burials per USCG regulations, presided over by the captain, your clergy or a representative of your choosing (Funeral directors are required for full body burials, but not for ash scatterings). The company serves all faiths with personalized services.
Typical vessel size ranges from 30 to 65 feet for up to 50 passengers and up to 100- 125 feet for up to 400 passengers. Departure port locations vary due to size of charter party, and are arranged at the time of contracting.
What it Costs
NEBS reports the most basic unattended scattering of ashes is $975 plus crew gratuities. Attended events for 1-6 passengers start at $2,375.
At sea attended events from NEBS include a Captain's service with eight bell-end-of-watch blessing, custom ship's burgee, ten-gauge cannon fire farewell salute while the ship circles the flower field, official ship’s parchment sea burial coordinate certificates and additional maritime options to choose from.
The services take place at least 3 NM from shore, with the unattended events sometimes early in the morning, while the attended events are scheduled in coordination with the family and the sea burial services company.
For the scattering of cremated remains the boat heads out past the required three nautical mile line. During your family’s personalized sea tribute service, your loved one’s cremated remains are scattered by family on an outbound tide. (No funeral director is required)
Each event includes an official ship’s parchment sea burial certificate marking the coordinates of the decedent’s final resting place, eight bell end of watch blessing and a ten gauge cannon salute as the ship circles the flower field.
Flying enthusiasts can have their ashes scattered at sea from the air at several New England locations. There are many more options to choose from.
The maritime provider can organize the vessel, catering and music, but the primary responsibility is to charter a safe and appropriate vessel and to counsel the family.
Documented military veterans can get added funeral service benefits from the branch in which they served, including a dockside Military Honor Guard to fold and present an American flag to your designated next of kin on behalf of the President of the United States, with an electronic bugler to sound Taps.
Janis Joplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Robin Williams, and Sir Francis Drake were all buried at sea, all but Sir Francis had their ashes scattered, but Drake was buried in a lead coffin.
More Information
For more information on NEBS and a free info kit call toll free (877) 897-7700 or online at www.NewEnglandBurialsAtSea.com.
See a NEBS Burial at Sea here: https://youtu.be/7cHogXXv4fI