Coast Guard helps spread the love

FOR many of us, the final resting place of a loved one holds great significance and for those with an affinity to the sea there is now an easy way to spread their ashes thanks to the Noosa Coast Guard.
When they’re not busy saving lives, the Noosa Coast Guard offers a caring service that takes families and friends out to sea to scatter the ashes of a loved one.
Noosa local, Paulette Gee, recently used the service to spread the ashes of her brother-in-law.
“After my sister’s husband died at Christmas we planned to scatter his ashes at sea,” she said.
“Someone suggested we ask the Coast Guard, so a couple of Sundays ago, ten of us set sail from Munna Point in the Noosa River in two Coast Guard boats.”
Ms Gee said the Coast Guard volunteers were very attentive and respectful throughout the experience.
“It was a great way to farewell a loved one,” she said.
“We got to scatter the ashes at sea while the Coast Guard volunteers got to practise their skills.”
Anyone is welcome to use the Coast Guard service to scatter ashes for a fee of $300, which helps maintain the life-saving equipment and pays for the fuel used when travelling to a site.
A plaque to commemorate a loved one can be bought for an extra $1200 and will be placed on the Coast Guard’s special memorial wall at Munna Point.
“I would recommend this service to anyone,” Ms Gee said.
The journey out to sea is subject to weather conditions and emergencies take priority.
Phone David Gillies at Coast Guard Noosa on 0477 014 598 for more information.