Sleeping with the fishes: The story behind Florida’s underwater cemetery that houses 1,500 people

About three miles off the coast of Miami Beach in Biscayne Bay lies an underwater oasis for the dead.

In 40 feet of clear water across a sprawling 16-acre plot are the cremated remains of around 1,500 people in a place called Neptune Memorial Reef. Some of its habitants have been molded into starfish, mermaids, sea shells, sharks, turtles, manatees and octopus sculptures. They are then laid to rest in an artificial reef.

The cemetery , designed by south Florida sculpture artist Kim Brandell, was constructed using a series of road columns and arches.

Relatives often have a celebration of life on board the company’s boat then dive to place their loved one’s remains among the marine life. Staff divers then use an underwater epoxy to permanently install the remains. The placement locations are also mapped for future visits.

It makes the site one of the most unique cemeteries in the US.

The experimental cemetery began in 2007. Originally, the idea was to create an artificial reef based on the Lost City of Atlantis, Michael Tabers, the business’s community resource director, told The Independent .

As stakeholders began obtaining permits to construct the installation, one of them thought to incorporate a memorial with the aim of making the remains part of the reef itself. The remains are delivered to the cemetery’s office, where they are molded into sculptures.

The company laid its first person to rest that same year. The cemetery claims it’s the only underwater cemetery in the world, and thousands of people have reserved their spots on waitlists. Renowned chef Julia Child even has a starfish placement there. Families from Europe, South America, and Canada have flocked to the reef to have their loved ones laid to rest in the ocean.

There is currently room for the remains of up to 250,000 people, and the reef will expand if there is demand, Tabers noted. The company has obtained permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and Miami-Dade County Division of Environmental Resources Management, granting it the ability to develop the land indefinitely.

The area is protected and boat anchors can’t be dropped at the reef. Visitors can’t disturb the marine life or memorial placements.

On average, the business conducts three to five deployments a week, which typically take about 60 days to go through the entire process once the person has died.

“There is a completely different feel and setting that a family gets when they do a celebration of life at the Neptune Reef as opposed to a more traditional type of ceremony,” Tabers, who has spent his career in the funeral business, said. “It’s a very much more relaxed atmosphere. We’re on a boat, so everyone is dressed comfortably... you can see the skyline of Miami Beach and Key Biscayne behind you.”

The company offers several different packages starting at $9,995.

Most expensive are its estate packages. One called the “Neptune City Center” comes with a whopping $9m price tag . The company describes the grandiose artwork — affixed with a sculpture of Neptune riding a chariot pulled by dolphins — as a “breathtaking memorial befit for King Neptune himself.”

For those who do not wish for remains to be put in a placement sculpture, the company offers a “scatter at sea” option that comes with a copper engraved plaque that’s fastened to one of the existing structures.

The reef is considered to be an environmentally conscious way of disposing of remains. It is certified by the Green Burial Council, which develops and maintains ecological certification standards for cemeteries and funeral homes.

Government officials have reached out to the business’s representatives to inquire about the possibility of installing similar structures in other parts of the world.

Google reviews show that the concept has become a hit with customers.

“As I haven’t died yet, I cannot review the cremation aspect, but purchasing the product was easy and it is a great value,” wrote Kathleen O’Reilly in May.

Toni Stenmark made a similar comment in September 2021: “I have always loved dolphins and now I will actually get to be one!!! My cremains will be mixed into a dolphin sculpture and become a beautiful crown placement.”

Even Tabers, the memorial’s director, says he’s picked out his own sculpture — a radius column top — and has dived to visit its location.

He plans to have the remains of his dogs — two schnauzers and a Schnoodle — close to his own. Consumers can purchase memorial sculptures for their pets or opt to have their human remains commingled with those of their furry friends.

The reef is the most popular dive site in Miami and tourists consistently flock to the underwater constellation of memorials for a peak at the stunning scene. Families are comforted by the constant visitors, Tabers said, ensuring their loved ones won’t ever be short of company.