Scattering ashes off a public ferry: when it goes wrong

Mr Thompson – Unhappy

Two things I continue to witter on about when conducting a scattering ceremony, firstly; the wind – direction and strength. Secondly; privacy.

Here we have a story from up in the North East about a chap who got rather cross when he was covered in ashes as a result of a family conducting ceremony on the ferry. The ceremony on the South Shields ferry went slightly wrong and the ashes blew back onto the boat.

I am sure they didn’t mean it, although I understand the chap being annoyed about it. Although the reported ‘get a life’ attitude of the ferry company seems a bit surprising.

Yours truly was interview on the radio about this story – The Gary Kelly show on BBC Radio Birmingham

My advice would be to use a private craft, if that is beyond your means use a water urn to prevent the ashes from blowing about (They start at just under £50). Windy gusts on the water are usually stronger and more unpredictable (well that may be untrue, but almost certainly most of us will be less familiar with how it works). If neither of these can be accommodated (although I would strongly urge you do) then choose a time when there is only a few passengers, get as close to the water as possible without compromising your safety. Oh yes, and check wind direction and strength.

As for the ferry company, I would suggest commuting and scattering aren’t really mutually compatible.

Here is the article in the Sun, as an aside why are they so interested in peoples ages and occupations – is it the quickest way to pigeon hole someone I wonder?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4334643/Ashes-scattered-on-ferry-blown-on-to-passengers.html