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The Funeral Event

Scattering Remains in Lake Washington

and the Puget Sound

Public navigable waterways under state control are valid sites for scattering cremated remains.  These include Puget Sound, rivers, streams and lakes, and the Pacific Ocean within a three-mile limit.  Scattering remains in the Pacific Ocean beyond a three-mile limit requires reporting the scattering within 30 days to Region 10 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  The agency can be contacted at 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA  98101. 

Secure permission from the landowner when considering scattering cremated remains in a body of water on privately owned land.

Scattering remains on bodies of water in national parks requires receiving permission from the chief park ranger.  Scattering on waters in state trust uplands requires receiving permission from regional managers.  Commercial entities are not allowed to scatter remains on state trust uplands.

Remains need to be scattered in a specific manner:  Pour out the contents of the urn to scatter them.  Do not drop or throw the urn into the water.  Locate the identification label or numbered disc inside the urn.  Keep this label or disc and dispose of it separately with the urn.  

The Department of Transportation allows holding memorial services and scattering remains aboard regularly scheduled sailings of Washington state ferries.  Any such activities are weather-dependent.  Choose a clear, calm day on a non-peak sailing.

Arrangements must be made ahead of time by contacting the ferries administrative officer, at (206) 264-3554.  Once a proposal has been accepted, the ferries office will notify the crew to expect a party seeking to scatter remains.  After the vessel has left the dock, a member of the party needs to notify the captain and the mate that the party is aboard.  The captain will determine if the crossing is sufficiently safe to allow a scattering, that is, that winds or cross currents will not be disruptive.  The captain also will determine if a scattering can be accommodated operationally, that is, that the vessel has no fire drills or Coast Guard quarterly inspections scheduled. 

If the vessel master approves a scattering, the party will be led to the car deck, where the scattering will take place.  Only one person will be allowed to scatter the ashes.  Any other commemorative requests, such as blowing the vessel's horn or slowing the vessel, will take place at the captain's discretion.        

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