Memorial Reefs Program

Memorial Reef Program Introduction

There is no better statement of who we are than what we leave behind. For many who enjoyed fishing, diving, boating or just a general love of the Gulf, a personalized Memorial Reef is the perfect and permanent tribute to celebrate and remember a loved one for hundreds of years to come. Organization for Artificial Reefs (OAR) offers Memorial Reefs that allow families to construct, personalize, and name a reef for their loved one(s). Each Memorial Reef creates a unique ecosystem and provides a permanent and sustainable environment for all marine life.

For families and individuals who choose cremation rather than burial, OAR’s Memorial Reefs offer a new memorial option that replaces cremation urns and ash scattering with a permanent environmental living legacy, expected to last one hundred years.

OAR’s Memorial Reefs are scientifically designed reefs made of Florida Limestone and environmentally safe cast concrete that is used to create new marine habitats for fish and other forms of sea life. The cremated remains of an individual are incorporated into an environmentally safe cement mixture designed to create artificial reef formations. The cement is poured into three separate forms, cured, and then welded and poured again to create the largest and strongest reefs available today. The Reefs are deployed in our legally permitted areas off the coast of Franklin and Wakulla Counties. The OAR dive team regularly monitors the condition of the reefs as well as the marine ecosystem.