Memorial Charters & Ash Scattering
in Key West
Families can honor their loved ones with a private, respectful offshore memorial aboard a licensed charter vessel. We provide a calm, meaningful setting for ash scattering at sea — handled with care and dignity.
Our Key West Ash Scattering Charter at a Glance
Our memorial charters depart from Key West. We regularly welcome families traveling to the Florida Keys from throughout Florida and across the country. Our service is for cremated remains — we do not perform full-body burial at sea.
Key West, Florida
$700 for the charter
2 hours dock to dock
Up to 25 guests
7:00 AM or evening (approx. 5:30–7:00 PM)
3 or more nautical miles
If your family cannot attend
Our captain and crew can perform the scattering on your behalf, without the family aboard, at the same $700 charter price. You still receive the certificate with the recorded GPS coordinates.
Celebration-of-life charters
We also host private celebration-of-life memorial charters when no ashes are being scattered — simply time on the water to gather and remember together.
Advance notice & what to bring
We can often accommodate memorial charters with 2–3 days' notice, depending on availability. Families bring their own urn, flowers, memorial items, and any food or beverages they'd like aboard.
We host roughly 40 memorial services each year, welcoming families from Key West, throughout Florida and across the country. If you'd like to understand the process before choosing a date, our guide to how ash scattering at sea works walks through what to expect.
What Is a Memorial Ash Scattering at Sea?
A memorial ash scattering at sea is a meaningful way to honor a loved one by releasing their cremated remains into the ocean. Also known as a burial at sea or ocean ash scattering, this ceremony takes place aboard a private charter boat in offshore waters, typically 3 or more nautical miles from shore to comply with EPA guidelines for the scattering of human ashes.
Many families choose ash scattering in Key West because of the calm turquoise waters, beautiful sunsets, and the peaceful setting the Florida Keys provide. Whether your loved one was a lifelong fisherman, a beach lover, or simply felt at peace near the water, an ocean memorial offers a fitting and personal farewell.
During the service, families gather on deck as the captain positions the vessel at an appropriate offshore location. The ceremony is led by the family — you may choose to share stories, read poems, play music, or simply observe a moment of silence. Biodegradable flowers or petals are often scattered alongside the ashes. Following the service, families receive a Certificate of Burial at Sea via email with the exact GPS coordinates of the scattering location.
Ways Families Remember
Families use different words for the same farewell — ash scattering, burial at sea, celebration of life. Whatever you call it, it happens aboard a private charter with just your people aboard.
Ash Scattering at Sea
Cremated remains released offshore, 3 or more nautical miles out, in keeping with federal guidelines.
Celebration of Life
A private charter with no ashes aboard — time on the water to gather, share stories, and remember.
Veterans' Honors
For veterans, military honors may be coordinated through the local military base when possible. See veterans' details
If Family Can't Attend
Our captain and crew can perform the scattering on your family's behalf at the same $700 charter price.
What's Included
Everything you need for a peaceful, meaningful ceremony at sea.
Private boat charter with licensed captain and crew
Dock-to-dock time including travel offshore, ceremony time, and return
Quiet, respectful time for family remembrance and ash scattering
Guidance from the captain and crew throughout the process
Offshore location that meets environmental guidelines
Memorial certificate with GPS coordinates of the scattering location
Bluetooth speaker available for playing music during the service
Optional Items You May Bring
These items are not provided by Gulfstream — families may bring their own if desired.
Biodegradable urns
Biodegradable flowers or petals
Catering and beverages
Custom playlist for music
Officiant or clergy of your choice (minister, priest, rabbi, chaplain, or other faith leader)
Biodegradable urns are recommended if families plan to release the container itself into the water. View biodegradable urn options →
What's Not Included
Please review these guidelines before your service.
Non-biodegradable items may not be released into the ocean (plastic, glass, metal, artificial flowers, confetti, etc.)
No balloons of any kind — including biodegradable balloons
No floating candles or floating lanterns (water lanterns, luminaries, etc.)
Food and beverages are not provided unless specifically arranged
We do not perform ceremonies or readings — families lead their own service
No land-based ceremonies or park permits are handled
What We Require From Families
A few things we need to ensure a smooth, safe ceremony.
Cremated human remains in a secure container
Guest count prior to departure for safety and capacity planning
Only biodegradable items if anything will be released into the water
Families may bring their own clergy, military personnel, or religious officiant
What You Don't Need to Worry About
We handle the details so you can focus on honoring your loved one.
Navigation and selecting an appropriate offshore location
Timing and coordination of the ceremony
Complex planning or formal structure — simple and personal is perfectly appropriate
Whether an urn is required (scatter-only is fine)
Honoring Veterans at Sea
For a veteran of the armed forces, an ash scattering at sea can carry special meaning — a final resting place in the waters they served to protect.
How military honors work
Military honors are arranged through the veteran's branch of service. Requests can be initiated by the family or a funeral planner, and having the veteran's DD-214 or other discharge documentation available will help when you call.
Who to contact
Monroe County Veterans Affairs — (305) 295-5150
The best local starting point. Their Key West office is at 1100 Simonton Street, Suite 1-190. Monroe County, FL — Official Website
Navy Region Southeast Funeral Honors — (904) 542-6357
The direct Navy funeral honors contact for Florida.
NAS Key West Chaplain's Office — (305) 293-2318
A local referral contact to ask who coordinates the Key West honor detail.
What to ask for
When you call, explain that the family would like "dockside military funeral honors before departure for a private ash-scattering service aboard Gulfstream at Charter Boat Row." Ask whether the detail can attend that location and how much advance notice they need. Dockside attendance is not guaranteed — confirm with the honors detail.
Bring your own honors detail
Families are welcome to bring their own military personnel aboard to take part in the service.
What we do not do
Gulfstream's crew does not perform official military honors. We provide the respectful setting and coordination guidance to help make them possible.
What Families Receive
Following the service, families receive an official Certificate of Burial at Sea emailed as a printable PDF with the GPS coordinates of the scattering location.
Sample certificate — actual certificate will include your loved one's name, date of service, and exact GPS coordinates
Compliance & Environmental Guidelines
Ash scattering takes place offshore in accordance with environmental guidelines established for the protection of our coastal waters.
All materials released must be biodegradable — no plastics, metals, or artificial materials.
Any required reporting or compliance documentation is handled by us. You will receive a memorial certificate with the GPS coordinates of the scattering location.
Key West Ash Scattering: Common Questions
Practical answers about price, capacity, timing and what families should bring.
How much does it cost to scatter ashes at sea in Key West?
Our memorial charter is $700 for the entire private charter, not per person. This price is current through 2027. There are no seasonal or departure-time price differences.
How far offshore do you go to scatter ashes?
Memorial ash scattering takes place 3 or more nautical miles offshore, in keeping with federal guidelines for releasing cremated remains at sea.
How many people can come aboard?
Up to 25 guests may join the memorial charter.
How long is the memorial charter?
The charter is 2 hours dock to dock, which includes the ride offshore, ceremony time, and the return to the dock.
Can you scatter the ashes if our family cannot attend?
Yes. Our captain and crew can perform the scattering on your family's behalf without anyone aboard. The price is the same $700 charter price, and you still receive the memorial certificate with the GPS coordinates.
Can we hold a celebration of life without scattering ashes?
Yes. We also host celebration-of-life memorial charters when no ashes are being scattered — a private time on the water to gather and remember.
How far in advance should we book?
We can often accommodate memorial charters with 2–3 days' notice, depending on availability. More notice is helpful when family is traveling in.
Can we bring flowers?
Yes. Families bring their own flowers and memorial items. Only biodegradable items — such as natural flower petals or unwrapped fresh flowers — may be released into the water. We do not sell flowers.
Can we bring food and drinks?
Yes. Families are welcome to bring their own food and beverages aboard for the memorial. Gulfstream does not provide catering.
Do you provide biodegradable urns?
No — we do not sell urns. Families bring their own. If the container itself will be released into the water, it must be biodegradable; a non-biodegradable urn should stay aboard and go home with you.
Do you offer full-body burial at sea?
No. Our memorial services are for cremated remains only. We do not perform full-body burial at sea.
Can military honors be arranged?
Military honors are arranged through the veteran's branch of service — the family or a funeral planner can start the request, and having the veteran's DD-214 or other discharge documentation ready helps. Good starting points: Monroe County Veterans Affairs in Key West at (305) 295-5150, Navy Region Southeast Funeral Honors at (904) 542-6357 for Navy veterans, or the NAS Key West Chaplain's Office at (305) 293-2318. Ask whether the honor detail can attend the dock before departure — dockside attendance is not guaranteed, so confirm with the detail. Gulfstream's crew does not perform official military honors.
We're Here to Help
If you have questions about planning a memorial charter, availability, or what to expect, please reach out. We're happy to talk through the process and answer any questions you may have.
We respond to all inquiries with care and without pressure.