Artificial reef near Miami is cemetery, diving attraction

May 10th, 2008 in Space & Earth / Environment
Artificial reef near Miami is cemetery, diving attraction (AP)

A pair of porkfish and sergeant major fish swim near a section of the Neptune Memorial Reef 45 feet under the surface Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 3.25 miles off the coast of Key Biscayne, Fla. Creators of the reef hope it will become a memorial for the dead and a diving site. Instead of a burial funeral, people can pay to have their remains placed in one the reef's structures after their death. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

(AP) -- About 45 feet beneath the ocean's surface lies a cemetery with gates, pathways, plaques and even benches. The Neptune Memorial Reef, which opened last fall, is seen by its creators as a perfect final resting spot for those who loved the sea. They hope that one day the reef will cover 16 acres and have room for 125,000 remains.

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