There are a lot of people who love the oceans and many of them choose to express their fondness through a wave tattoo.

But in addition to conveying the love for the ocean, a wave tattoo can also hold many symbolic meanings. Waves are powerful forces on earth, they are unstoppable, indicating strength and inevitability. They can swallow sailors and surfers but they can also get them to their destinations, being symbols of both danger and guidance.

For sailors, swimmers, divers, and surfers, a wave tattoo can serve as a symbol of a passion and way of life, but also as an amulet.

A wave tattoo could also signify a period of tough times that was overcome and may remind that you are always ready to get over hardships. Moreover, it could be a symbolic memorial tattoo for someone lost in the oceans or who loved the water.

Many people find wave tattoos simple and fashionable designs, other choose to reinterpret on their skin the famous art piece ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.

Wave tattoos can be combined with a variety of elements like water creatures, ships or weather symbols.

#1 Dotwork Wave Tattoo on Forearm Photo: elenayelloww

#2 Wave Tattoo Inside Rectangle Photo: ssukim_tattoo

#3 Blue Wave on Back Photo: tattooist_ida

#4 Linework Wave on Inner Forearm Photo: francescavendola

#5 Waves and Geometric Shapes on Back Shoulder Photo: hwangdoh_tattoo

#6 Blue Waves and Surfer on Leg Photo: oeuvre_ink

#7 Waves and Starry Night on Upper Back Photo: samanthatattoo

#8 Fine Line Stippling Wave Photo: johnbtattoos

#9 Splendid Waves on Shoulder Photo: amtattoo_art