If you’re looking for words or a verse for an ash scattering ceremony fit for an old sailor or anyone with a love of the sea, you could do far worse than the timeless poem Crossing the Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
This beautiful and deeply symbolic piece is often chosen for sea burials, ashes scattering at sea, or Royal Navy committal services. The imagery of tides, twilight, and the quiet call to set sail makes it a perfect reflection of a life spent on or near the water.
Crossing the Bar
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
If you’re arranging a committal service with the Royal Navy, you can find full details here: Royal Navy Committal Service
For those planning a scattering of ashes at sea, we have a range of nautical urns and biodegradable water urns, as well as advice on how to hold a sea scattering ceremony.
The Meaning of Crossing the Bar
Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote Crossing the Bar in 1889, near the end of his life. The “bar” he describes is the sandbar that separates a harbour from the open sea — a natural image any sailor would know well. To “cross the bar” means to leave the safety of the harbour and sail into the unknown, symbolising the moment when life’s voyage ends and the soul sets out on its final journey.
Tennyson uses simple, beautiful imagery — the setting sun, the evening star, the quiet tide — to describe a peaceful transition from life to death. There is no fear in his words, only calm acceptance and hope. The “Pilot” he hopes to meet “face to face” is generally understood to mean God, or a higher guiding spirit, waiting to welcome him home.
Why It Resonates with Sailors
For sailors, Crossing the Bar carries deep significance. The sea is both their livelihood and their home — unpredictable, vast, and eternal. The idea of one final voyage, setting out into the deep, speaks directly to that maritime spirit. It offers comfort by framing death not as an ending, but as the next stage of the journey.
When used in a scattering of ashes at sea, the poem beautifully echoes the symbolism of the ceremony itself: the ashes returning to the water, the tide carrying them gently away, and the sense of peace that comes from letting go.
Many families choose to read this poem aloud during a sea scattering ceremony, often just before releasing the ashes, as a way of honouring both the person’s life and their connection to the ocean.
I would like to have my dear late husband ashes committed to the sea, what do I do next Pam Willis
Hi Pamela
These are the boats available
This is general advice water ceremonies
This is if you want to use the Royal Navy’s service
Kind regards
Richard