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Ocean City, New Jersey - Relatives of the deceased can now have their
ashes mixed into concrete to help form ocean habitats.
A Georgia
company has placed about 200 of the concrete cones, called "reef balls",
in the ocean, mostly along the United States's Gulf Coast.
In the
past week, it interred cones filled with the ashes of several people about
10km off the shore as part of the Great Egg Reef.
Don Brawley, an
accomplished diver, came up with the idea of turning artificial reefs into
memorials, and founded Eternal Reefs with George Frankel in
2001.
| 'We like to think that we're buying public
reef balls' | "Most states with reef programmes buy artificial reefs,"
Frankel said. "We like to think that we're buying public reef balls with
private money."
Burying a loved one's ashes in a reef ball can cost
between $1 000 (about R6 400) and $5 000. Decatur, Georgia-based Eternal
Reefs also has two models for pets, for between $400 (about R2 500) and
$500 (about R3 200).
The balls have grapefruit-sized holes in them
to dissipate current, and their surface is dimpled to encourage coral
growth.
The company got approval from the New Jersey department of
environmental protection to put ashes in the reef
installations.
The Great Egg Reef also contains decommissioned army
tanks and old tyres cabled together. - Sapa-AP
- This article was originally published on page
4 of The Star on September 27, 2004
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