Why choose an unattended ash scattering service?
Taking family members of different ages, health conditions, and levels of mobility onto the water can add risk and unpredictability. Boarding and moving around a vessel, changing weather, waves, cold water, currents, and unexpected conditions can all create additional hazards.
Recent tragedies are sobering reminders of how quickly a day on the water can change. In June 2026, a charter vessel sank near Roberts Bank in the Strait of Georgia with 10 people aboard, resulting in seven deaths. I witnessed this tragedy from approximately a mile away while on the water that day. Seeing something like that firsthand was a powerful reminder of how serious and unpredictable conditions at sea can become. Only weeks later, a vessel carrying 20 family members and friends for a memorial and ash scattering ceremony capsized in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz, also resulting in multiple deaths.
I am a licensed professional with the experience and knowledge to properly handle cremated remains and respectfully scatter them at sea. I personally conduct each service while photographing and recording the ceremony, carefully documenting the tribute from beginning to end. Scattering a loved one’s ashes is a deeply important, one time event with no opportunity to do it over. Sometimes an event this important is best entrusted to an experienced professional who can focus completely on the conditions, the cremated remains, and creating a beautiful and respectful tribute.
How are the ashes scattered?
I carefully lower the cremated remains to the surface of the water and gently release them, helping prevent the ashes from blowing back onto or clinging to the vessel. This method allows the ashes to remain together as a visible body on the surface, slowly traveling away with the natural current. It creates a peaceful and beautiful moment as the cremated remains move together across the sea.
May I request special services or a specific burial location?
Yes. I am happy to discuss special requests, meaningful locations, or other ways to personalize the ceremony.
I also offer a shoreline service where family and friends can gather on shore and witness the scattering ceremony taking place offshore. For families who have a meaningful location outside my normal service area, I can also travel to conduct the scattering. I can handle the planning, transportation, and other details of the trip and service, providing the same personal care and attention throughout. Please send me a message so we can discuss what you have in mind.
My loved one is a veteran, are their VA benefits to help pay for their burial?
Yes, the VA does provide financial assistance for the burial of U.S. Veterans, click here for more information. I also offer a 10% discount for veterans, please contact me for the coupon code.
Are there any regulations regarding burials at sea?
There are no Washington State laws or British Columbia regulations prohibiting the scattering of ashes in inland bodies of water. The Salish Sea, which includes the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, is considered an inland body of water and is not subject to specific restrictions regarding ash scattering. Click here for information on EPA regulations and here for Washington State.
If I bring you the cremated remains, do I need to declare them at the U.S. border?
No. Cremated human remains do not need to be declared when entering the United States, and no death certificate or special documentation is required.
Can I scatter my loved one’s ashes myself?
Yes. Families who prefer to personally scatter their loved one’s ashes have several options in Washington State and British Columbia.
Washington State Ferries offers scheduled memorial services that allow families to release cremated remains from select ferry routes. Advance arrangements are required and the ashes must be placed in an approved biodegradable water urn. BC Ferries does not currently offer an ash scattering or memorial service program from its vessels.
Fraser Viewpoint on Tilbury Island has been designated as British Columbia’s first dedicated public ash scattering site along a waterway. Located on the Fraser River, the site provides families with a dedicated place to gather and personally scatter their loved one’s cremated remains into the river.
Families with access to their own vessel may also conduct their own scattering. Washington State permits cremated remains to be scattered in public navigable waters under state control. Always check the rules applicable to your particular location before conducting the ceremony.
For families who prefer a land based setting, Boundary Bay Cemetery in Delta and Sunnyside Lawn Cemetery in South Surrey offer dedicated scattering gardens for cremated remains.
A Few Things to Consider
Wind and water conditions can make scattering cremated remains more difficult than expected. Keep the ashes close to the water when releasing them and be mindful of wind direction, other people, vessels, and the shoreline. Biodegradable water urns can also provide a simple way for families to place cremated remains into the water while minimizing the possibility of ashes being carried by the wind. Only biodegradable flowers or other appropriate natural materials should accompany the ashes into the water. Avoid plastic, wire, ribbons, containers, or other materials that could remain behind.