There seems to be an almost endless list of things that you can do with your body after you die. At the top of the list though, (in this humble writer’s opinion), has to be becoming part of an artificial coral reef 40-feet below on the ocean floor.
For less money than you think, you can have your ashes become part of the Neptune Memorial Reef off the coast of Miami, Florida.
The Neptune Memorial Reef is located 3.25 miles east of the Key Biscayne in Miami, Florida.
The Memorial Reef is an ongoing project that the Neptune Society, the company that owns the reef, hopes will eventually encompass 16 acres on the ocean floor. That will be enough space for 125,000 burials.
40-feet below the surface is the Memorial Reef. So far it is already the final resting place of hundreds of people.
The architecture of the reef is clearly inspired by the legend of Atlantis. It almost looks straight out of a Dan Brown novel if you ask me.
Aside from offering the deceased and their loved ones a unique burial, the Memorial Reef is ecologically benefical to the area.
According to the reef’s website, fish life in the area has gone from almost nothing just two years ago, to a population numbering in the thousands today.
The cremated remains bring vital nutrients and help oxygenate the water around the Memorial, which in time will promote the development of a full scale reef.
Talk about an epic looking place to spend eternity. I wonder how the rest of the reef will look when it finishes construction.
The Neptune Society charters regular trips out to the reef for people to visit with their loved ones at the reef.
Deploying a new resident to the reef.
Some people have even gone so far as to get their scuba certification so they can have a more personal visit to the reef.
The center column of the Memorial Reef. It looks so peaceful.
Of course, as you can imagine, being buried at the Memorial Reef isn’t cheap. According the Neptune Society it can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $6,000 to spend the rest of time as part of an artificial reef.
However, that amount may actually be cheaper than being buried in the ground, according to the data from the National Funeral Directors Association. Your average in underground burial can cost anywhere between $7,300 and $28,000.
To learn more about the Neptune Memorial Reef make sure to visit their website, and follow them on Facebook.
