Ashes in spice jar survive the ocean

A man’s ashes were blasted out to sea on raging 5-metre waves then returned intact – and rediscovered – after a wild ride in an Ikea spice jar.

Even in the depths of the storm at sea, Elliott Birrell found his way back.

Birrell died in the United States, aged 29, from a rare form of testicular cancer but wanted a portion of his ashes brought to New Zealand – where his father hailed from before moving to the US and meeting his mother.

After his death in 2017, Birrell’s parents carried his ashes to Wellington in the spice jar, handpainted by his sister Alicia Birrell.

‘‘My dad thought of a place that made him feel peace and brought back good memories. That was O¯ whiro Bay, where he once lived,’’ she said from Seattle.

They buried the jar on the beach under rocks and shells – and even returned from the US recently to check it was still there.

Last week, Wellington’s south coast was smashed by high waves that damaged homes and forced residents to evacuate.

Elliott’s jar, buried where the tide could normally never reach, was carried away by the ocean.

On Sunday, Jess Scott went for a walk at O¯ whiro Bay, going further then usual. She spotted the jar, with a name on it, and realised it contained ashes.

Within half an hour of her posting the discovery on Facebook, a local group had identified Birrell’s family – despite their living in another hemisphere.

Scott said she was happy to help return the ashes to the family. ‘‘If I was on the other side of the world and it was my brother, I’d only hope someone would do the same for me.’’

Alicia Birrell said it was ‘‘pretty fitting’’ that her brother’s ashes had somehow survived the battering as he was a stubborn, wild-spirited kid. ‘‘I believe it was just meant to be for him to be there . . . it’s pretty insane that something so wild and strong enough to damage homes can so carefully leave a glass jar of ashes without any damage.’’

A Birrell family member living in New Zealand will retrieve the ashes once the lockdown is lifted.

Alicia Birrell said it wasn’t the only crazy thing to happen with the ashes. When they first arrived home in a box, Elliott’s cat, Braaap, immediately curled up and hugged his former owner through the packaging.