LOCATION

Santa Barbara, California

Santa Barbara, California, sits between the mountains and the sea. It offers calm waves, ocean breeze, and a peaceful place for a sea burial. First, the soft air and open views bring quiet comfort. Next, the town’s ties to ocean life add meaning to each farewell. In addition, families can walk the shore or visit the harbor for reflection. Also, Santa Barbara blends beauty and care in one place. As a result, it creates a warm and thoughtful way to honor loved ones.

The Service:

Compassionate, Seamless Burial at Sea Services Nationwide

At Sea Services, we partner with carefully vetted captains and crew across the United States to ensure your memorial experience is smooth, respectful, and deeply meaningful.

Our Burial at Sea and Ash Scattering Services include a beautifully crafted biodegradable urn adorned with freeze-dried flowers, along with a personalized memorial certificate mailed to you after the ceremony. Every service is conducted in full compliance with EPA regulations and aboard U.S. Coast Guard-approved vessels, ensuring safety and professionalism at every step.

What to Expect During Your Memorial Charter
Each charter lasts approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, dock to dock. The journey includes:

30–45 minutes traveling out to sea
30 minutes at a serene location for the ceremony
30–45 minutes returning to harbor

During your time on the water, you’ll have the space and time to reflect, pray, share stories, and release ashes in a peaceful and private setting. Our experienced captains can help guide the ceremony or offer support as needed, ensuring a respectful and memorable farewell.

Points of Interest:

Stearns Wharf California’s oldest working wharf, built in 1872 and stretching over 2,300 ft into the harbor. Stearns Wharf is lined with souvenir shops, seafood shacks, tasting rooms, the Ty Warner Sea Center, and fishing spots—making it a lively hub for strolling, waterfront dining, and panoramic ocean and city views

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Housed in the historic Waterfront Center, this engaging museum explores the maritime heritage of the Santa Barbara Channel—from Native Chumash canoes to local shipwrecks—through interactive exhibits like a rooftop periscope and hands‑on displays

Brophy Bros. A harbor‑side staple at 119 Harbor Way, delivering fresh steamed clams, mussels, oysters Rockefeller, shrimp, and signature Bloody Marys in a bustling, casual setting with scenic marina views

The Lark Nestled in the Funk Zone at 131 Anacapa Street, The Lark offers seasonal, farm‑to‑table dishes inspired by Central Coast bounty. Known for elevated shared‑plate dining, craft cocktails, and a warm, stylish atmosphere, it’s also a Michelin‑guided favorite

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Featured Locations
Family Memorial Service
Captain's Service
scattering or burial?

Featured Locations

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn New York, offers iconic views of the city skyline and direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a peaceful place for a sea burial. First, the harbor’s open waters...

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Wilmington North, Carolina

Wilmington, NC is a quiet coastal city with easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s an ideal place for a burial at sea. Many families choose Wilmington because it feels...

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Port Aransas, Texas

Port Aransas, TX is a peaceful island town with wide Gulf views and strong ties to the sea. Many families choose Port Aransas for burial at sea. The setting offers...

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Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach, VA is a coastal city with soft sand, wide beaches, and views of the Atlantic Ocean. Many families choose this location for burial at sea. It feels quiet,...

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Family Memorial Services

For those families wishing to plan their own memorial voyage, Sea Services™ provides the vessel and crew, from the port of your choice. You select the time, place and arrangements and invite as many guests as you wish.

We have many of crafts at your service. And we can help you plan every detail of this special memorial. As your voyage will be a first-time maritime funeral experience for many of your guests, Sea Services™ will work closely with you to make this a fitting memorial occasion, carefully evaluating your needs and desires to insure a safe, comfortable and memorable day for all.

First-class family services like these vary greatly in every detail. Likewise, their costs also vary considerably. Contact Sea Services today at 1-888-404-9880 for the current cost of a Family Memorial Service. Costs for a small group, larger groups, special services or trips in the height of the recreational boating season are available on request.

Whether your group is large or small, from one guest to several hundred, Sea Services™ carefully chosen captains and crews have the licensing and experience to provide a safe, and most memorable trip.

Captain's Service

Often families cannot venture to sea or attend a scattering ashes at sea memorial service. Our captains bring the cremated remains on an ocean voyage for you. A dignified sea scattering of ashes or burial at sea is performed and documented, with that documentation provided to you. This is our most popular service, with prices beginning at just $325.

While the Captain’s Service does not provide for the family or guests to accompany the vessel, specific requests, such as dates or times, special prayers or simple ceremonies are often available. Special planning, however, can add to our costs. Many ports have seasonal demands and schedules vary at different times of the year. You may call us for specific fees at the port of your choice.

Most often, cremated remains are received at Sea Services’ home office via priority mail express US Mail, sometimes directly from the funeral home or crematory. For the specific “Three Easy Steps” to a Captain’s Service™. Call us anytime with your specific wishes, or just to discuss our services. Sea Services™ will work hard to accommodate your desires while insuring the best value.

Scattering or Burial?

The scattering of cremated remains on the sea’s surface is timeless tradition — a chosen funeral custom for thousands of years. Many, however, due to personal, religious or traditional desires, prefer to be placed in a burial urn on the ocean’s floor.

Sea Services has developed the Burial at Sea Service that sensitively accomplishes this timeless tradition, while insuring 21st Century protection of the environment. Whether you choose a traditional Sea Scattering or the dignified Burial at Sea with a urn you can be assured that your service will receive our personal attention at any port, off any shore of our nation.