To celebrate June being National Ocean Month, I took it upon myself to search for and bring together some of the most beautiful ocean inspired tattoos the internet has to offer.
The ocean covers nearly 70% of the Earth’s surface and is a great source of food, energy, alternative transportation, and if full of all types of unique and beautiful exotic marine life as well. Not only does the ocean provide sustenances for us, but it also showcases thousands of artifacts from the past due to ships that sank and precious cargo having fallen over. During recent years, scientists have even been discovering ancient cities, ruins, and monuments that lie on the ocean floor due to the rise in water levels. Being that the ocean covers more than half of the Earth’s surface, scientists have only begun to scratch the surface of what lies at the bottom of the ocean!
Ancient civilizations all over the world have had many stories that pertain to the oceans and the gods that rule them. Both Roman and Greek mythologies about the gods of the ocean are very similar. As you can see here, this sleeve illustrates either the Roman god, Neptune, or the Greek god, Poseidon, beginning to create a giant wave as if to take down this ship or attempt to take down the giant octopus. You can also see an ancient city on the bottom right which is most likely to be the underwater city of Atlantis.
Dolphins are known to be one of the smartest mammals on the planet, and also one of the cutest ones as well! Their adorable curious and playful behavior has been favored by people for as long as dolphins and people have lived amongst one another. It’s no surprise as to why people would want to get a tattoo of one of these beautiful animals on their body!
Heine Braeck, a Norwegian man who has lost his arm in a childhood accident, transformed the way he would look at his amputated shoulder for the rest of his life. By turning the stump into a dolphin, he has given his shoulder a whole new meaningful appearance which, in turn, has given people everywhere the reassurance that you do not need to be perfect to be beautiful.
Other than the dolphin, octopi are also known to be one of the smartest marine animals that inhabit the ocean as well. These intelligent and graceful creatures are excellent predators being that they can change color, blind prey by squirting them with ink, squeeze through virtually anything due to their lack of bones, and are amazingly fast and strong as well. Whether it be for their beauty, mystery or intelligence, there are many reasons as to why people get these marine animals tattooed on their body.
Sharks are the number one predator in the entire sea, the Great White being the most popular out of every species in and out of the ocean. This shark, in particular, is most known for its starring role in the 80s’ thriller, Jaws, and for having the highest number of attacks against humans as well. Some reasons as to why people get tattoos of these petrifying predators is because they’re great symbols of power, fearlessness, and intelligence.
The second most widely known and tattooed shark is the hammerhead due to its unusual yet interesting appearance. Although this shark is not the most threatening to humans, only 3 out of the 9 different species of hammerheads are considered to be a dangerous predator.
As it was mentioned earlier, the ocean is essentially one giant underwater museum. From missing planes to shipwrecks from hundreds of years ago, the ocean holds so much mystery, many untold stories, and countless treasures that we have yet still to discover, and we honestly may never be able to discover everything that is on the ocean floor. This is another reason as to why so many people have such a high interest in what the ocean has to offer.
For many people around the world, the beach is one of the most familiar and relaxing places they can go to. There are many activities that the beach offers for us such as surfing, kayaking, parasailing, fishing, tanning, swimming, boogie boarding, and sightseeing. The beach is a popular and cool place to just go and hang out with some friends on a hot summer day or go be by yourself for hours on end, not to mention that the beach is one of the most beautiful and serene places in the world, too!
Many people take a big interest in ship and anchor tattoos as well whether it’s for the adventure aspect, the style of traditional tattoos or for the symbolism behind it all, these tattoos have been a popular choice for hundreds of years.
Because the ocean is filled with so much wonder and amazement, it provides people with a sense of security, peace, and motivation as well. This month, be sure to show your appreciation for what the ocean has to offer by making a trip down to the beach and to also help spread awareness of National Ocean Month!
Published on June 8, 2015 by Madison Haley
