Tribute to dearly departed finds concrete
expression
September 27, 2004
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 US's Gulf
Coast.
Last 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.
"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 and $500.
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
