tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559692.post5127990864284409486..comments2024-03-28T17:33:32.921-04:00Comments on Ocracoke Island Journal: Burying the DeadPhiliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01572532603071469799noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559692.post-73801536078342398772014-04-16T09:15:44.800-04:002014-04-16T09:15:44.800-04:00Thanks for the questions. I will answer your first...Thanks for the questions. I will answer your first question (how far down can you dig before you hit ground water?) in tomorrow's post. <br /><br />Re. burials on Ocracoke: You are correct that graves cannot be dug very deep...but some burials do use vaults. At the Community Cemetery, graves can be dug just deep enough to accommodate a concrete vault. <br /><br />I think it was during hurricane Gloria in 1985 that a recently buried casket popped out of the ground and floated some distance away when the tide came in. That's the only time I can remember that happening. Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01572532603071469799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559692.post-52091820280424551792014-04-16T08:31:36.881-04:002014-04-16T08:31:36.881-04:00VERY interesting observations, Philip.
Any insigh...VERY interesting observations, Philip.<br /><br />Any insights into ground water on Ocracoke? Clearly it would vary by location/elevation, but in the area of the Village Craftsmen, for instance, how far down can you dig before you hit ground water?<br /><br />And are there any implications for island burials these days, at the community cemetery in the neighborhood back behind the Ocracoke Coffee Company, for instance?<br /><br />For example, I recently wrote about a "green-certified" cemetery here in Pennsylvania that practices all-natural burials--no embalming, no concrete vaults to house caskets, and only biodegradable caskets or shrouds.<br /><br />Based on the ground water levels on Ocracoke (as per the historical account from Portsmouth), I wouldn't presume that graves could be dug deep enough to accommodate a concrete vault.<br /><br />As always, you certainly make things interesting here.<br /><br />Keep up the good work!<br /><br />:-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com