Several local companies help people scatter ashes to sea.

The garlands slowly swirl around the cloud of ash as it floats among the waves. The boat, named Sanctuary, rises and falls with the February morning current as family members, each wearing a hand-knit ski hat made by the deceased’s wife, toss garlands of roses and tulips to accompany the ashes. They share stories, memories and a few laughs, remembering days past.

The 30-plus hats, some 2 to 3 feet long with a tail or ball at the end—some orange, some green—help create a less somber, and more joyful, mood.

With Moss Landing visible in the distance, the morning light hits and reflects off the water, signaling a new day.

Most of the time, Sanctuary carries tourists hoping to see wildlife, rather than passengers who want to honor their dead: Monterey fishing and whale watching companies are used to bringing people out onto the water, but they also do trips that are much less publicized. Typically listed under specialty cruises or memorial services, many companies offer to bring mourning families out to their spot of choice on the bay, where they can release the ashes of a loved one.

There are rules though.

The ceremony must take place at least three nautical miles from the shore. There, the ashes can either be spread or released through an urn that will dissolve.

The urns Sanctuary uses are designed to float for up to 20 minutes, depending on wave movement, before slowly descending and releasing ashes over a 24-hour time period. Other urns sink faster, within about five minutes.

Businesses that offer the service are also required to have a certificate stating they are registered as a cremated remains disposer with the state’s Cemetery and Funeral Bureau, and the certificatation must be renewed annually. They must also record the GPS coordinates of where the ashes are scattered and report them to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Family members, meanwhile, must apply for a permit from the Monterey County Health Department, which designates the site of burial as “At sea off Monterey County, CA.”

“Go below sailor, you know your watch is done.”

After the permits are in order, it’s time to get on a boat.

Having been in the fishing and whale watching business for 35 years, Peter Bruno, owner of Randy’s Fishing Trips and Whale Watching, says the main reason his business started offering sea burial services was because there was high demand for it.

“People make an arrangement with us and we take them where they want to go and where it is legal to spread,” he says. “The rest is up to them.”

The typical ceremonial spot for Randy’s is Point Pinos, but other spots such as Carmel, Lovers Point, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Asilomar are among the options.

Different businesses have different boats, some taking up to 100 passengers. A normal service lasts an hour, and each additional hour costs extra. At Monterey Bay Boat Charters, the price to use the boat the Pt. Sur Clipper (which holds 48 people) is $450 an hour plus an additional $300 for every hour thereafter.

The round trip usually takes about an hour. Michael Sack, co-owner of Sanctuary Cruises, says the family chooses what happens next, and describes a typical sequence: “Everyone in the party will say a few words, and if they would like a song, we offer that,” he says.

“After everyone says their last words, sometimes they want a captain’s prayer. After the captain’s prayer, I would say, ‘Go below sailor, you know your watch is done.’”

When the last words are shared, the ashes are spread.

“After that is when the folks, whoever is designated, or sometimes the whole party, will pass around the urn and they will scatter the ashes,” Sack says.

“Most of the time, they will have garlands of flowers and will have each person throw a garland into the water to say their last goodbye. I will circle all the flowers and the ashes in the boat one time, then slowly make our way back to shore.

“We find, more often than not, people are sharing stories,” Sack adds. “That is one of my favorite parts about being involved. It’s an honor to be able to facilitate this for people.”

On that February morning, the ash now drifts with the current, taking it slowly away from the circling boat. The bright flowers contrast dramatically against the dark waves, leaving a trail from the family to their loved one.

When the boat makes its way back, the roses and the ash slowly begin to slip beneath the surface.

As the morning sun begins to rise over Monterey, an end settles into the deep.

Companies offering this service in Monterey: 

Randy’s Fishing and Whale Watching Trips

66 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. 9am-8pm Mon-Sun; (800) 251-7440, www.randysfishingtrips.net

Monterey Bay Boat Charters,

84 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. 7am-7pm Mon-Sun; 372-0599, www.montereybayboatcharters.com

Carrera Sailing

Municipal Commercial Wharf 2, A-Tier, Monterey. 10am-7pm Mon-Sun (best times for sea burial is at 11am-noon); 375-0648, www.sailmontereybay.com

In Moss Landing:

Sanctuary Cruises

7881 Sandholdt Rd., Moss Landing. 8am-7pm Mon-Sun; 917-1042, www.sanctuarycruises.com

Blue Ocean Whale Watch

7881 Sandholdt Rd., Moss Landing. 600-5103, www.blueoceanwhalewatch.com