For as long as tattoos have been fashionable in Western culture, they have been associated with the high seas. You won’t second guess a sailor covered from head to toe in ink, in fact it is a little strange if a sailor isn’t covered with a bunch of tattoo designs that tell his tales at sea. In classic literature, part of a sailor’s adventures deal with battling gigantic sea monsters that are hellbent on capsizing ships. If the sailors survive these encounters, they come back on shore and get themselves a tattoo that deals with their glorious triumph.Nowadays, the only way you’re going to hit up the high seas is if you charter a cruise to the Caribbean. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the splendors of getting an aquatic beast tattooed somewhere on your body. Whether you are a surfer dude, beach bum, marine biologist, Parrot Head or just an ocean enthusiast, you can get a one of these 15 cool tattoo designs for yourself.
The Life Aquatic
We’ll begin our deep sea expedition with a quirky, Wes Anderson inspired tattoo from “The Life Aquatic.“ This awesome back tattoo collage is pulled straight from an animated scene in the movie where one of Steve Zissou’s famous film clips is being played for an audience.
Detailed Jellyfish
The jellyfish is the silent killer of the sea. Some of them are relatively harmless, but others are so toxic that they can cause instant death. This tattoo design uses vibrant colors for the detailed tentacles and also features a blue starburst pattern that represents the ocean above.
Killer Shark Tattoo
Unlike the jellyfish, the shark is the loud killer of the sea and its reign of terror has been well documented in movies like “Jaws“ and “Sharknado.“ This awesome tattoo is just a basic detailed sketch of the chaos a great white is capable of bringing to its victims.
Dolphin Stub Tattoo
This is perhaps the most inspirational tattoo design on the entire list because the man who got it turned a horrible thing like an amputation into something extremely positive.
Anatomy of a Stingray
For the marine biologists reading this article, this tattoo is for you. This detailed stingray anatomy diagram is just a straight up lesson in learning more about sea life.
Dangerous Blowfish
The blowfish is one of the cutest creatures in all of the ocean, but when it starts to puff up it can look like a big ball of spikes coming at you. This tattoo design makes it even more menacing looking by adding almost human eyes and a sharp set of teeth to go with it.
Elegant Whale Back Tattoo
Whales are some of the most majestic and intelligent animals in all of the ocean and this tattoo is a perfect way to celebrate the close connection that man has with the monster sea beast.
Blue Whale Bicep Tattoo
Another whale tattoo, this one effectively takes up an entire bicep, although an actual scale-size blue whale tattoo would take up 20-25 people.
Whale vs. Giant Squid Tattoo
This is one of the most epic battles ever depicted in all of literature and this person decided to honor it by getting a huge tattoo of the battle on them.
Whale vs. Giant Squid Tattoo
Ocean Life Arm Sleeve
Unlike the whale vs. squid tattoo, this full sleeve tattoo is much more beautiful and relaxed. It is much more suitable for hipsters living next to the ocean than for hardened sea veterans and salty dogs.
Ocean Life Thigh and Leg Tattoo
This is another example of a much lighter and breezy tattoo that is more suitable for someone who hangs out at local rock venues than for someone who spends most of the year on a fishing vessel.
Ocean Life Thigh and Leg Tattoo
Killer Whale Back of the Neck Tattoo
Many people think that the great white shark is the apex predator of the sea, but the orca, or killer whale, is a much more powerful and intelligent creature. This back of the neck tattoo design is a great way to show off your strength and power.
Killer Whale Back of the Neck Tattoo
Surf Scene Sleeves
Here are a couple of full sleeve tattoos that are perfect for beach bums who would rather lay around in a hammock all day drinking pina coladas than lifting a finger on a boat.
Kraken Arm Sleeve
While it may be a fictional character from a poem, the Kraken strikes fear in the hearts of any sailor who holds even an ounce of superstition. This full sleee tattoo is dramatic and uses the chest as an extra piece for more artwork.
Realistic Mellow Sunset Sleeve
Finally, this full sleeve tattoo takes advantage of pastels and water color ink techniques to create an interesting glow that is a little bit unusual for tattoos, but totally inspirational.
Realistic Mellow Sunset Sleeve
Arm Covered With Octopus
Blue Octopus
Hand Octopus
Red Octopus tattoo
Purple Octopus Back Tattoo
Here is a gorgeous octopus tattoo done in purple ink, and it looks very realistic doesn’t it?
Octopus Back Tattoo with Grey Ink
This is a big octopus tattoo that is on the back, and you can even see its eyes! What do you all think of this tattoo?
