{{Short description|Man-made reef off the coast of Florida}} {{Infobox cemetery | name = Neptune Memorial Reef | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Neptune Reef.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = The Neptune Memorial Reef's underwater gates. | pushpin map = | map_type = | map_size = | map_caption = | mapframe = | established = | abandoned = <!-- or | closed = --> | location = {{Convert|3.25|mile}} off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida | country = | coordinates = | type = Burial-at-sea underwater columbarium | style = | owner = | size = {{convert|16|acre}} | graves = | interments = | cremations = | leases = | website = | findagraveid = | politicalgeo = | footnotes = | nrhp = | embedded = }} The '''Neptune Memorial Reef''' is an underwater columbarium in what was conceived by the creator as the world's largest artificial reef, covering over {{convert| 600,000 |ft2|m2}} of ocean floor at a depth of {{convert|40|ft}}.<ref>{{cite web|last=Coleman|first=Les|title=Florida's Exclusive Underwater Burial Ground|url=http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/24571-1|publisher=Public News Service -FL|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref> It was originally conceived by Gary Levine and designed by artist Kim Brandell and known as the '''Atlantis Reef Project''' or the '''Atlantis Reef'''.<ref name="ptn">{{cite news|url=http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/21903|title=Atlantis Reef Project Announces Partnership with Neptune Society|date=2007-03-09|work=The California Chronicle|accessdate=2009-03-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708112424/http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/view/21903|archive-date=2011-07-08|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> As of 2012, the Reef occupies a {{convert|1/2|acre|adj=on|spell=in}} space, but a planned expansion {{convert|16|acres}} is underway. The city design involves underwater roads leading to a central feature with benches and statuary.
The place was chosen at 3.25 miles (5.2 km)<!--if you can determine accurately what these "statute miles" are, then you can remove one of the conversions--> off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida. It is a type of burial at sea—Reef burials, and the first phase is estimated to be able to accommodate 850 remains,<ref name="abcn">{{cite news|url=http://american-tigress.blog.sohu.com/87128856.html|last=Orkin Emmanuel|first=Lisa|title=Artificial reef near Miami is cemetery, and more |date=2008-05-12|publisher=Associated Press|accessdate=2009-03-07| df=mdy-all}}</ref> with an eventual goal of more than 125,000 remains.<ref name="gfn">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/may/12/conservation.usa?gusrc=rss&feed=travel|title= Watery graves offer a haven for divers|last=Orkin Emmanuel|first=Lisa|date=2008-05-12|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2009-03-07| df=mdy-all}}</ref> Though often referred to in news articles as an underwater mausoleum or underwater cemetery, the Neptune Society Memorial Reef meets the criteria for neither. Cremated remains are mixed with cement to form features of the Reef, and memorial plaques are added.<ref>{{cite web|last=Harrigan|first=Stephen|title=Artificial Reefs|url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/artificial-reefs/harrigan-text/1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122210347/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/02/artificial-reefs/harrigan-text/1|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2011|publisher=National Geographic|accessdate=2012-02-09| df=mdy-all}}</ref> The Reef is more correctly identified as a cremation memorial site or aquatic columbarium.
The man-made reef, located three miles (5 km) off the coast of Florida's Key Biscayne, opened in 2007 after a number of difficulties, including permits.<ref name="LaTimes">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jul-12-na-cremation-reef12-story.html|title=Off Florida, a cemetery under the sea|last=Nolin|first=Robert |date=2009-07-12|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2009-11-26| df=mdy-all}}</ref> After an extensive evaluation and permitting process, the Atlantis Reef Project has been permitted by the EPA, DERM, NOAA, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and the Army Corps of Engineers. One of the construction requirements was that the Memorial Reef be built to withstand the strongest storm in the last 100 years. During the permitting process, Hurricane Andrew, a category 5 hurricane, swept through, requiring a re-engineering of the Reef.
The reef stretches across {{convert|16|acre|m2}} of ocean floor designed as both a home for sea life and "a destination for divers".<ref name="LaTimes"/> The Neptune Memorial Reef lies in a special management zone. Boaters and divers are welcome, but no fishing or lobster-taking is allowed. Now that reef-building coral have developed at the site, the Reef can be properly identified as a coral reef.<ref name="Trident">{{cite web |title=The Neptune Memorial Reef |url=https://www.tridentsociety.com/memorial-reef/ |website=Trident Society |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref>
The Neptune Memorial Reef is actively working the site and expanded from less than an acre to its original permitted 16 acres.<ref name="Expansion">{{cite news |author1=Robertson, Linda |title=When these people say you'll be sleeping with the fishes, they're not kidding |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/key-biscayne/article206163579.html |work=Miami Herald |date=March 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626185611/http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/key-biscayne/article206163579.html|archive-date=2018-06-26 |url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Famed chef personality Julia Child, who died in 2004, before the reef was built, has a memorial, but no ashes. The memorial was added around 2018.<ref>[https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/05/24/neptune-memorial-reef-is-an-underwater-mausoleum-for-cremated-remains/?edg-c=1 Neptune Memorial Reef is an underwater mausoleum for cremated remains]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *{{Official site}}
{{coord|25|41.412|N|80|5.445|W|display=title|region:US-FL_type:landmark}}
Category:Cemeteries in Florida Category:Burials at sea Category:Underwater monuments and memorials Category:Service Corporation International