What to Bring on the Day: A Family's Checklist

A calm checklist for the morning of a burial at sea off San Diego, from the permit and the remains to warm layers, flowers, music and what to leave at home.

The morning of a burial at sea is not the time to search for a permit or to wonder whether flowers are allowed. If a family packs a short checklist the night before, they can arrive calm and keep their attention on the person they are there to honor. This guide covers what to bring aboard JADA with Burials at Sea San Diego, what to leave at home, and why each item matters.

The two things that cannot be forgotten

The permit for disposition

California Health and Safety Code section 7117 requires the person scattering cremated remains at sea to have the permit for disposition. This is the county's Permit for Disposition of Human Remains, form VS 9, and it must be filed with the county afterwards. The county where the death was registered issues the permit, and the funeral home or crematory usually obtains it. For a scattering off San Diego, item 16A on the permit reads "at sea off the coast of San Diego".

The family brings the permit to the marina on the day. After the ceremony, the crew records it with San Diego County vital records on the family's behalf. A folder or a large envelope keeps it flat and dry. For the full sequence from permit to federal notice, see The Paperwork Timeline: From Permit to EPA Filing.

The cremated remains

Bring the remains in a container that opens easily at the rail. A container that is hard to open can turn a quiet moment into a struggle, so it is worth checking at home how the lid or seal comes off. Families who are still deciding on a container may find Choosing an Urn for a Burial at Sea helpful, and Handling Cremated Remains at the Rail describes the release itself. Families flying in with the remains can read Traveling to San Diego with Cremated Remains before they travel.

For comfort on the water

• A warm layer. The marine layer often brings overcast mornings off San Diego, especially in May and June. A sweater or light jacket is easy to take off and welcome when needed. Blankets are also aboard.
• Soft-soled shoes. Soft soles suit a wooden deck and give steadier footing. What to Wear on Ceremony Day covers clothing in more detail.
• Tissues. A pocket pack for each person who may want one, so no one has to look for them at the rail.
• Water and snacks, if wanted. Families may bring their own food and drink. There is no corkage and no minimum.

Guests who worry about motion may want to read Seasickness and a Ceremony at Sea a few days ahead.

For the ceremony itself

• Biodegradable flowers or petals. The EPA general permit for burial at sea allows flowers and wreaths only if they are made of materials that readily decompose in the marine environment. That means no wire, no plastic, no foam and no ribbon that will not break down. Loose petals or simple stems are easiest to handle. Flowers for a Burial at Sea has more on choosing them.
• A printed reading or two. A phone screen can be hard to read outdoors and easy to lose your place on. A printed page in a pocket is simpler. Readings for a Burial at Sea offers ideas.
• A phone with the playlist. Families may play their own music through the Bluetooth speakers aboard. Download the songs in advance rather than streaming them, and put them in order. The Role of Music in a Burial at Sea Ceremony may help with choosing.

For the crew

Bring a list of the names of the guests and hand it to the crew at the marina. JADA carries up to 28 guests. The family can hold the ceremony themselves or ask the crew to suggest an officiant. The crew handles the boat so the family can focus on the ceremony.

Arriving at the marina

JADA departs from the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, 1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego. Plan to meet the crew at the marina 30 minutes before departure. That leaves time to hand over the permit, settle in and ask any questions without hurrying. Use the hotel self-parking, and ask the crew for the parking voucher, which lowers the rate. Handrails and a ramp route lead down to the marina level. There is no elevator, so families with less mobile guests may want to allow a little extra time.

What to leave at home

• Urns that do not decompose, if the plan is to place them in the water. A container meant to go into the sea should be one that breaks down there.
• Balloons. They do not belong on or over the water.
• Anything plastic intended for the water, including plastic-wrapped bouquets, artificial flowers and plastic keepsakes.

These follow the same principle as the EPA burial at sea rule. Only materials that readily decompose in the sea go over the side.

A checklist to print

1. Permit for Disposition (VS 9), in a folder
2. Cremated remains, in a container that opens easily
3. A warm layer for each guest
4. Soft-soled shoes
5. Biodegradable flowers or petals, no wire or plastic
6. One or two printed readings
7. Phone with the playlist downloaded
8. Tissues
9. Water and snacks, if wanted
10. A list of guest names for the crew
11. Arrive 30 minutes early, and ask for the parking voucher

Rules about scattering at sea can change. Before the ceremony, families should check the current requirements with the cited sources: the EPA burial at sea page, California Health and Safety Code section 7117, and the San Diego County Vital Records office. If anything on the permit or the checklist is unclear, we are glad to walk you through it before the day.

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