Spreading ashes at sea can be done in several ways. The most popular way is to simply pour the cremated remains directly from the original container into the ocean. Special urns are now made for burials at sea. They are 100% biodegradable and can be placed directly into the ocean. This method limits the amount of handling. The cremains can also be placed into a wicker basket lined with biodegradable paper and then lowered into the ocean. Family and friends can participate in "lowering the cremains to the deep" by assisting in letting go of the rope.
Yes, it's been proven to be the best, fastest, and most reliable method. The USPS will ship cremated remains as long as these instructions are followed. The container/urn of the loved one's ashes must be placed into leak proof packaging (plastic bag), boxed, and sealed (taped). This box must be placed into a secondary shipping box and sealed. Make sure to place packing material (bubble wrap, foam, paper, etc.) into the shipping box to reduce internal movement. The package must be sent USPS Registered Mail. It is also very important to declare the contents by writing "Cremated Remains" on the addressed side of the shipping box. Some other delivery providers will not accept cremains due to liability restrictions.
The "Authorization for Scattering Cremains" form can be downloaded from our site. It can be brought with you the day of your attended service with us in Southern California or sent in with the cremains if you select to do an unattended disposition. Click Here For Form
A burial permit is also required. If the death occurred in California we can accept permits issued by any county as long as the permit states that disposition is to take place "Scattering at Sea, off the Coast of Orange County". If death occurred outside of California, a permit will need to be obtained from the Vital Statistics Office of Orange County California.
We provide burial at sea services on weekdays and weekends. Sea memorial services can be customized to accommodate almost any time request. However, we do find that early morning (between 8am - 9am) trips are a little better due to the waters being at their calmest point and most suitable to scatter ashes.
Yes, we are very flexible and will do our best to fulfill all special requests for your ash scattering ceremony.
Yes. Although we can arrange services for scattering of ashes within a day, reservations made a week or more prior to the selected date enables us to provide the highest degree of service, which is what we pride ourselves on.
Distance varies based on the desired location for the sea ceremony. In many cases ash scattering services are within 500 yards to ½ mile from shore.
Yes. We have both ladies and gentlemen washrooms.
Approximately 12 knots (14 miles per hour).
If you are interested in having Military services take part in your ocean burial ceremony, you would need to make arrangements with a Military Funeral Honors Program. The US Military only offers these services to active military members. Local VFW and American Legion organizations offer these services for veterans on a donation basis.
We have been spreading ashes at sea for over 30 years. Newport Landing has provided ash scattering services to thousands of families in the Southern California region and beyond. All of our vessels are Coast Guard Certified and registered with the state to perform scatterings (CRD License #593).
We will provide you the exact longitude and latitude GPS coordinates where the cremains were released. We offer revisit services to the site. Contact our office for availability and rates.
Our unattended ash scattering service is the most economical option with a total cost of $250. We offer several other types of services for scattering ashes, with options that can fit almost any budget. We are flexible and can customize your sea scattering service to meet your personal standards at a price that is affordable.
Payment can be made by personal check, money order, cashier's check, or by credit card (all major cards accepted). A deposit of 50% will be rendered at booking. The balance can be paid anytime prior to the vessels departure.
We have several vessels that range from 50 to 85 feet in length that can accommodate 1 to 140 passengers.
No. You are not required to have an Officiant to perform your service. Typically family members and friends will assume the roll. If you would like an Officiant and do not already have a church or place of worship figure that is available we recommend Jacqueline Soares.
We will perform an unattended ash scattering service no more than 14 days after receipt. Typically we will perform the service within the week. After the scattering ashes at sea service is performed you will receive a memorial certificate indicating the date of the scattering service. The memorial certificate will also contain the latitude and longitude of where the ashes were scattered.
Yes. Appointments are usually made to gather attendees at the landing for subsequent departure. Usually arriving 15 minutes before scheduled departure is sufficient. We require that all attendees fill out a coast guard manifest (passenger list) prior to departure. This process usually takes a few minutes. The manifest can be completed beforehand as well and dropped off in our office prior to departure.
A standard sea scattering service is approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours. Additional hours and other locales, such as Catalina Island, require additional travel time and may have additional rates.
Yes, railings around the boat and a large enclosed area offer both safety and comfort for children. In over 20 years, we have never had an incident with any of our burial at sea services.
Yes. The outside areas as well as enclosed areas are very spacious. Our large vessels offer ample room for all passengers attending to scatter ashes of your loved one.
The cost of a burial at sea service in Southern California varies. Through our company, we offer three Los Angeles sea burial options that range in price from $350 to $2,600.
Family and friends can bring flowers or wreaths for tossing into the ocean immediately after the cremains are scattered. All flower ties or floral arrangement material must be made of biodegradable materials if being placed in the ocean.
We provide a complete selection of locations from sandy beaches to rocky cliffs. Locations that are farther from Newport Harbor are available but may require additional travel time. Please ask us for different options.
You are free to wear whatever clothing you feel comfortable in. We recommend matching your clothing with the current weather conditions. Heels and hard soled shoes are not recommended on a moving vessel. Feel free to give us a call if you are unsure of the current weather conditions.
