How to Ship Ashes for an Unattended Ocean Scattering

When a family lives far from the coast, or simply cannot be on the boat that day, an unattended ocean scattering can still feel personal, careful, and complete. I am Captain Brett McGhee of Ocean Ashes, and I personally handle our unattended scatterings from our home waters in Saint Petersburg. This post is the practical version of what I tell families on the phone: how to ship ashes safely, what the law requires, and what you receive afterward.

Why families choose ship-in unattended

Grief does not always line up with travel schedules, weather windows, or a spare weekend to fly into Florida. Sometimes the person who loved the Gulf most is already at rest in an urn across the country. Sometimes the family wants a quiet goodbye without a boat day. Unattended does not mean impersonal. It means you entrust the ceremony to a licensed captain who treats the remains with the same dignity we give every attended charter.

Our [unattended ash scattering](https://oceanashes.com/unattended) service is built for that trust. The Popular package is $189 and includes the offshore scattering, fresh rose petals, EPA notification, photos, and a custom GPS certificate. The Deluxe package is $250 and adds HD video plus three certificates. If you prefer to be aboard later, our private attended charters are $595 for up to six guests from ports including [Saint Petersburg](https://oceanashes.com/saint-petersburg), Destin, the Florida Keys / Islamorada, St. Augustine, and Galveston. See current options on our [services shop](https://oceanashes.com/new-products-1).

One note for planning: I am out of town until September 10, 2026, so we are not promising attended St. Pete charters before then. Unattended scatterings and our partner-port attended trips continue on their normal schedules.

The short version of the EPA rule

In U.S. ocean waters, cremated remains must be scattered at least three nautical miles from land. That is federal rule under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act general permit. You do not file for permission beforehand. You (or we, on your behalf) notify the EPA within 30 days after the scattering. Official guidance lives here: [EPA Burial at Sea](https://www.epa.gov/marine-protection-permitting/burial-sea).

We go the required distance into the Gulf, record GPS, use biodegradable petals and notes only, and file the notice so your family does not have to learn the form on a hard week.

How to ship cremated remains (USPS)

In the United States, the Postal Service is the carrier that accepts cremated remains for mailing. Private carriers generally will not. Current USPS practice is to use Priority Mail Express and the official Cremated Remains packaging, not a random carton from the garage. Free kits and the step-by-step packing guide are in USPS Publication 139: [How to Package and Ship Cremated Remains](https://about.usps.com/publications/pub139.pdf). USPS also summarizes mailing limits on its [shipping restrictions](https://www.usps.com/international/shipping-restrictions.htm) page.

Practical packing tips I share with families:

1. Keep the ashes in a sift-proof inner container (the crematory box is fine if it seals well; an urn works too).

2. Cushion it so it cannot shift or puncture.

3. Use the USPS Cremated Remains Priority Mail Express box as the outer package.

4. Put a paper with both addresses and a phone number inside the box in case a label ever separates.

5. Ship to the address we confirm by email after you book. Please do not mail until we confirm receipt timing and the destination line.

If you are local to Tampa Bay, you may also arrange a drop-off instead of shipping. Email brett@oceanashes.com or call/text (727) 362-6393 and we will walk you through either path.

What happens after we receive the ashes

Once the package arrives, I confirm receipt with you. On the scheduled day we take the remains offshore from our St. Pete operation, scatter beyond three nautical miles, release rose petals, photograph the moment as appropriate, and prepare your GPS certificate. Deluxe families also receive the HD video. The certificate is something many people frame; extra certificates are $20 each if siblings each want one.

You can also record the memorial (whether or not the ceremony was with us) in our free [National Scattering Registry](https://oceanashes.com/national-scattering-registry), which maps GPS locations families choose to share.

Veterans and their families should also see our [veterans page](https://oceanashes.com/veterans-affairs) for military burial-at-sea information and current veteran offers.

Attended later, unattended now

Some families ship ashes for an unattended scattering now and plan a separate trip to the Gulf later for their own memorial on the water. Others book a private attended cruise when travel is possible. Both are valid. Groups larger than six guests are split across trips; we do not arrange a larger vessel at this stage. Max six per boat keeps the day quiet and private.

If Destin, Islamorada, St. Augustine, or Galveston is the harbor that meant home, start on those port pages and we will match you with the local captain for an attended day when the calendar allows.

A gentle closing

Shipping ashes is not a cold logistics errand. It is the last careful errand of love you can do from wherever you are. If you want help choosing Popular or Deluxe, confirming a ship-to address, or deciding whether attended or unattended fits your family better, reach out. I answer the phone myself when I can, and Ocean Ashes will treat your loved one as we would want our own family treated on the water.

Captain Brett McGhee

Ocean Ashes · oceanashes.com · (727) 362-6393

- https://oceanashes.com/unattended

- https://oceanashes.com/saint-petersburg

- https://oceanashes.com/new-products-1

- https://oceanashes.com/national-scattering-registry

- https://oceanashes.com/veterans-affairs

- https://www.epa.gov/marine-protection-permitting/burial-sea

- https://about.usps.com/publications/pub139.pdf

- https://www.usps.com/international/shipping-restrictions.htm