Dec
15

How would you like a burial in sea? No, really. A burial IN sea.

A new underwater memorial reef set to open off the coast of Florida is part of an emerging trend for offbeat burials. The man-made reef—the world’s largest—will offer room for the remains of up to 125,000 individuals, said Jerry Norman, CEO of The Neptune Society, the group responsible for creating the revolutionary resting place.

“The Neptune Memorial Reef provides a natural setting for loved ones that is also a awe-inspiring destination where family can gather and enjoy,” Norman said.

Covering an area of 16 acres just more than 3 miles off the coast of Miami, the reef is a whimsical re-creation of a lost city, complete with columns, roads and city gates. Individuals who choose an interment there—The Neptune Society calls it a “placement”—are cremated and placed in various parts of the structure. A simple placement costs about $1,500, while a spot inside the body of a majestic bronze lion runs the price up by several thousand dollars.

Underwater burials are offered by several other companies, such as Georgia-based Eternal Reefs, but differ in that the reefs are small, individual pods created for each individual on-demand and then sunk to the ocean floor.

The Neptune Memorial Reef is also expected to attract a variety of tropical fish and promote coral growth. Scuba divers will come to study the reef as a marine research site, according to The Neptune Society.

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