Ash Scattering

I am standing by the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says, ‘There she goes!
Gone where? Gone from my sight – that is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the places of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says, There she goes! ‘ , there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout : ‘Here she comes!’

“A Parable of Immortality” by Henry Van Dyke

Your Captain and Crew will conduct a beautiful ash scattering service at sea. We will sail gently out into the Gulf of Mexico approximately 3-5 miles offshore where the ceremony will begin with the vessel circling left (meaning, “turning back the hands of time”). The engine will be shut down, the sails hoisted (weather permitting) and the guests will be gathered. At this time, personal thoughts, prayers or poems may be shared by the group. One of our many verses (of your choice) can be spoken and your loved one will be placed gently into the sea. The ashes will now begin their new journey, to be carried by the current, forever. The vessel will circle the ashes to the right (meaning, “time and life goes on”) completing the figure eight infinity sign. The ship’s bell will be rung eight times (meaning, the passing of a sailor is marked with the ringing of eight bells and the beginning of another. The ringing of bells also signified the end of one’s watch while at sea. With the end of the watch, eight bells are sounded and the sailor was relieved. ” end of watch”) and as you hear the bell, you may toss your flower as a gesture of “letting go”, which ends the ceremony. We will then sail back to port, with the entire proceedings lasting approximately 3 hours.