Location Criteria For Planning A Burial At Sea

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A burial at sea can be a unique alternative to a traditional cemetery burial or cremation, and you may feel that this option is the best one for a family member who has just passed away. There are lots of companies that specialize in this form of burial, and browsing their websites can inform you about what the process is like. When you plan a burial at sea, one thing that you can choose is where you want your loved one's body to enter the water. As you think about different spots that may feel special, there are a few location-based criteria to keep in mind.

Distance From Shore 

Different regions have different rules about burials at sea, but a common requirement is for the burial to take place at a minimum distance from the shore. Being too close to the shore could be problematic because the casket could wash ashore rather than sink. Your local burial at sea service can give you information about the minimum distance in your area, and you can take this detail into account as you think about different areas that may work well for your family member's sea burial.

Water Depth

Another common rule that you'll need to follow is that the burial must take place in an area in which the water is at least a certain depth. You want your loved one's casket to be undisturbed once it sinks, but this may not be the case if the burial were to occur in shallow water. Your company will have access to detailed maps that provide accurate information about the depth of the water in various areas. Once you have a few ideal spots in mind, you can confirm whether or not the water is deep enough in these spots.

Privacy

One thing that you'll also need to think about is whether or not you want the burial site to be visible to others. Most people favor choosing a site that feels private. Certain areas of the water may be popular among boaters, and you might not like the idea of having your solemn ceremony while people speed past you on boats with music playing. You can talk to the sea burial company to learn about what areas of the water tend to offer more of a private feel than others, and then consider where you want this special site to be. Reach out to the company to cover these and other topics as you prepare for a loved one's burial at sea.


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