Scattering Terry's Ashes

This summer, we will remember our eldest brother, Terry and honor his last request by casting his cremated remains into the sea.

See; Remembering Terry

Terry was not much for organized religion so we have opted out of having a big Catholic Mass for him despite the fact that we have had plenty of gracious offers to organize one. He has been gone for over a year and we feel certain he is quite settled now. 

Being somewhat pragmatic in my general approach to things, I thought it might be useful to Google “rituals for scattering ashes at sea” in order to incorporate some form of spirituality into this event while remaining true to Terry’s beliefs. 

Cremation Solutions is the first of many websites that I found on that topic…  "When scattering ashes over a body of water a water-soluble urn can enhance the experience. These urns are specifically designed to gradually disperse the ashes back to the sea. Ashes can be cast directly into the water, but will often blow back at the boat and cling to the sides of the boat. This can be both frustrating and unsightly. A water-soluble urn will usually float for several minutes then slowly sink where it will degrade or melt back to the sea."

Who knew? 

I even found helpful step-by-step instructions on how to cast ashes off of a boat...

1. Travel 3 miles off  coast
2. Turn Boat into wind
3. Drop anchor -This will lessen the chances of the remains blowing back on you or the passengers
4. If you are pouring the ashes directly into the water, get down close to the water to avoid splash-back.

Note to self... Get a Water Soluble Urn.

Continuing on in my quest, I learned of a plethora of 'cremain' options out there.

Did you know that you can choose to have your loved one compressed into a manufactured diamond or precious stone suitable for display in rings or pendants? A glass tile? You can even choose to don a 'wearable urn' (actually it's a locket) with a small amount of the departed's ash in it. Or, and this is my favorite... become made into a reef then placed into the sea for fish to use as a habitat? How about being blasted off into space or being mixed in with fireworks? The possibilities seem endless. 

So, as I prepare for this final farewell, I have come to feel certain that my brother Terry, resides not in his ashes but in the hearts of all those who loved him.


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