I think this is a fabulous idea; especially for my sailing, scuba, snorkeling, fishing, surfing, water loving friends.  Spend eternity as a “reef ball”.  It’s an eco friendly final resting place at the bottom of the ocean. There are a couple of companies offering this service but the first was Eternal Reefs headquartered in Decatur, Georgia.  Your cremated remains are mixed with a patented mold system which has been formed into a ball shape.  You can be your own reef ball or if you don’t like to be alone, you can be part of a “community” ball, or combined with your favorite pet.  I mean, the cremated remains of your favorite pet.  After your remains are mixed in and formed into the ball, you are taken out in the ocean and lowered into one of about seven locations where the reefs are being replenished.  Organisms and other sea life start attaching to the reef ball immediately.  According to Eternal Reefs, about 400,000 reef balls have been deployed thus far.  The locations available are Ocean City, NJ, Chesapeake Bay, Ocean City, MD, Charleston, SC, Miami, Fl, Ft. Meyers, Fl, and Sarasota, Fl.  Eternal Reefs attaches a memorial plaque to the ball and your memorial service can be planned around the placement of the reef ball in the ocean.  Eternal Reefs has thought of everything.  They even have documents for advance and final directives available on their website.

The prices vary according to size; a small (2’ x 3’) 35-400 pound reef ball for one runs about $3995.00.  Medium (3’ x 4’) 1200-1500 pound ball is $4995.00 and can hold the remains of 2 people.  The large holds 4 people (hey, you can bring friends) and is 4’ x 6’ and weighs around 3800 pounds.  The community reef is fairly economical at $2495.00 and encompasses several reef balls as one system.  GPS coordinates are provided for all reef ball placements.  I forgot to mention that loved ones can participate in the casting of the reef balls if they wish.  This is encouraged.  Learn more at www.eternalreefs.com .

Great Burial Reef is the other entity who is offering memorial reefs.  They are headquartered in Lakewood Ranch, Florida They place a sealed urn with the cremated remains into a reef structure. Their memorials are priced at $7500 for an individual’s remains and $10,000 for a couple.  This includes, however, a charter boat which can accommodate up to 17 people to witness the placement ceremony, an undersea photo of the placement, GPS location, and a memorial plaque.  They will also assist with hotel accommodations and arrange for catering service if desired.  Their first undersea placement is scheduled for March 2008.  www.greatburialreef.com