Scattering of Ashes at Sea
(Final Farewell Ceremony)
Attended Farewell Ceremony
This service is designed to be a positive experience and to provide peace of mind for everyone involved. Our goal is to guide families and their guests in creating a unique memorial event to fulfill your loved ones wishes. On our scheduled date and time, you will meet with Captain Richard and his First Mate Beverly at the boat to experience a safe, comforting and peaceful day.
Once aboard you will receive a guided walk-through of the yacht prior to departure, ensuring you feel confident to a stress-free start. We make sure you are completely comfortable before you leave the dock.
We will begin our voyage from either Historic Downtown Wilmington or Carolina Beach. The Southport location is also an option for an additional fee. We will be heading down the mouth of the Cape Fear River or Intercoastal Waterway and 3 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean as per EPA guidelines. During the entire voyage we will pass many uninhabited islands and salt marshes with a good possibility of seeing dolphins and other exotic wildlife.
Upon arrival at the site, we will begin the ceremony. At this time any prayers, eulogies, and memories can be shared. Take as much time as you need. The casting of the basket with the cremains will be gently placed in the water with a vast amount of colorful rose petals blanketing your loved one. We will circle the floating rose petals several times giving you ample time to reflect. We do not want you to feel rushed. When you are ready, just let us know and we will begin the journey back home.
We invite you to bring your favorite music playlist to stream across our bluetooth system. Refreshments are provided along with a fruit platter and light chicken salad sandwiches. You are welcome to bring your own drinks and snacks and we will keep them in one of our iced coolers. No glass please 🙂
Our goal is to make this a special day that you will remember for a lifetime.
We’ll be glad to discuss any other options with you to make this ceremony a fitting occasion for all.
$875 + $75 per Passenger
(Max 6 Passengers)
Rates & times may vary based on departure location, area of service, & customer’s desires.
Scattering of one’s cremains at sea is a fitting tribute to a loved one’s last wishes. We do not outsource our scattering services. All scattering of cremains are performed personally by Capt. Richard and First Mate, Beverly, to ensure that your loved one’s wishes are respectively, ethically, and legally accomplished. We handle your loved ones with utmost care and we are always available by phone, text, or email.
Due to US Coast Guard regulations, there is a 6 PASSENGER MAXIMUM LIMIT, NO EXCEPTIONS! For additional guests, please see our optional Dockside and Beach Farewell Ceremonies below.
All Packages Include:
- A basket which includes a vast amount of colorful rose petals that blanket the cremains of your loved one.
- The filing of all regulatory governmental documents to the EPA within 30 days of the service.
- We will provide you with a certificate of dissemination. This certificate is suitable for framing and will state the date, time, latitude, and longitude of the final resting place of your loved one’s cremains.
- USCG licensed captain, and a supportive crew.
- All vessel expenses.
If you have additional deceased family members that you would like to include in the farewell ceremony there will be an additional charge of $100.00 for each.
Urns should be biodegradable or in the original container received from the crematorium so that we can transfer the cremains to the dissemination basket. If the cremains are in a sealed urn there is an additional fee to transfer the cremains of $75.00
Due to the unpredictability of the weather and water conditions, be advised the date and time frame will need to be confirmed the day before the scheduled ceremony.
Customary gratuities not included but appreciated!
The crew works extremely hard before, during and after your ceremony to ensure that your time with us exceeds your expectations. It is our duty to provide a safe and dignified ceremony for everyone involved. A standard customary gratuity of 10% to 20% is greatly appreciated 🙂
Scattering ashes continues to be a pure, loving and dignified way to return to one of mother earth’s most imposing wonders and fulfilling a loved one’s wishes.
Arrangements to visit the exact location where the ceremony took place can be scheduled any time you desire with Stargazer Charters.
If you have any questions or are in need of clarification, our comprehensive Q&A section will be able to help. We can also be reached anytime by phone, text, or email.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you would like to book over the telephone or need further assistance please call (910) 540-4049 or, contact us using our contact form below.
“After this experience, this is what I want done with my ashes!”
– Marvin (Asheville, NC)
“I have kept my husband’s ashes for several years. His last wishes were to
have his ashes scattered at sea. However I did not know the process and
who would do this for me until you came along. Thank you for making the
process so easy for me. A real sense of peace has filled a very empty spot
in my heart.” – Luanne (NC)
Unattended Farewell Ceremony
If family members and guests cannot venture to sea, we will bring your loved ones’ remains on a sea voyage for you. A dignified memorial of the cremains will be performed at a pre-selected location. We understand that our service requires transparency and trust. Therefore, we provide live streaming, videos and or digital pictures for you.
Cost Effective Option
Stargazer will head out to sea within 15 days of receiving your cremains, (weather permitting), in order to provide a personal farewell ceremony for your loved one. We will contact you prior to the day of the farewell ceremony and work closely with you to make this a fitting memorable occasion. The captain and crew will take great care of your loved one and handle the process with dignity and the utmost respect it deserves.
This ceremony will include:
- The casting of the basket of cremains with vast amounts of colorful rose petals that will blanket your loved one.
- The filing of all regulatory governmental documents to the EPA within 30 days of the service.
- We will provide you with a certificate of dissemination. This certificate is suitable for framing and will state the date, time, latitude, and longitude of the final resting place of your loved one.
Starting at $475
Rates and times may vary based on departure location, area of service and customers desires.
SHORE CEREMONY
This includes all the above. It allows for unlimited guests and for people who do not feel comfortable being at sea, the ability to pay their last respects prior to the vessel delivering their loved one to the sea. We will dock Stargazer in Downtown Wilmington at the Riverwalk. We will customize a service to fit your desires at a designed date and time. You will have plenty of time to have your personal ceremony prior to Stargazer taking your loved one to their final resting place in the sea. We will travel down to the mouth of the Historic Cape Fear River towards Bald Head Island and Southport and then out 3 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Once there we can live stream or send a video to you.
Starting at $875
Rates and times may vary based on departure location, area of service and customers desires.
Beach Farewell Ceremony
This is one of the options when circumstances prevent you, your family and guests from going to sea, where all participants will gather at an agreed location at Wrightsville or Carolina Beach and watch the ceremony from shore at a public beach access. The vessel providing the service could be seen performing the ceremony. According to your wishes, this can be formal or informal. This type of service allows for unlimited guests and for people that do not feel comfortable being at sea will be able to pay their last respects.
*Rates may vary based on customer’s desires & departure location.
Military Veteran Farewell Ceremony
This type of service is designed for military veterans. Incorporates with the timeless and traditional manner with the (END OF WATCH)- eight bell salute and the casting of the basket of cremains will be gently placed in the water with seasonal flowers and petals blanketing your loved one. This service can be incorporated with the beach or dockside service. Depending on your wishes it could be formal or informal.
Many military personnel feel that there is no more honored choice than have their cremains scattered at sea.
$850 + $75 per Passenger
(Max 6 Passengers)
*Rates may vary based on customer’s desires & departure location.
The Dockside Farewell Ceremony
Downtown Wilmington
This is one of the options when circumstances prevent you, your family and guests from going to sea and you still want to participate in the ceremony and pay your last respects prior to the vessel delivering the cremains to their final resting location. According to your wishes this service can be formal or informal. The vessel will be docked downtown Wilmington and the participants will be on the walking pier. This type of service allows for unlimited guests and for people that do not feel comfortable being at sea will be able to pay their last respects.
*Rates may vary based on customer’s desires & departure location.