The nautical roots of tattoo culture can be traced back to the Tahitian voyages of Royal Navy Captain James Cook beginning in 1768. British sailors accompanying Captain Cook marveled at the tattoos they noticed on native Tahitians. Many Sailors returned home with body art of their own. This popular form of body art quickly spread across the Atlantic.
By the mid 1800’s, getting tattooed was very much part of a Sailor’s life. Some Sailors doubled as amateur tattooists and early American tattooing took place aboard ships during long voyages. They carried wooden toolboxes filled with inks and supplies, allowing them to set up shop wherever and whenever they could. Chosen designs ranged from simply reflecting life on the sea, commemorating historic battles, general military insignia, to names of sweethearts. As the times changed, so did the style of tattoo.
The tattoo policy in the U.S. Navy has also evolved over the years to balance personal preference with good order and discipline. Here is a short (and far from comprehensive) list collected from sources around the Web of imagery you may encounter among saltier sailors, along with what each item means.
Anchor: Crossed the Atlantic or initiation into naval service
Compass/Nautical Star: Never losing one’s way (each denotes 10,000 miles at sea)
Dagger through a swallow: Signifies a lost comrade
Dolphin: Wards off sharks
Dragon: Sailed the Pacific
Emerald fouled anchor: Crossed the Prime Meridian
Emerald turtle: Crossed the Prime Meridian and the Equator where they intersect
Gold dragon: Crossed the International Dateline
Gold turtle: Crossed the International Dateline and the Equator where they intersect
Helm: Quartermaster
Octopus: Navy diver
Polar bear: Sailed the Arctic Circle
Rose: A significant other left at home
Sharks: Rescue swimmer
Trident: Special warfare
Pig & Rooster Tattoo on the Feet - This combination was thought to prevent drowning. The superstition likely dates back to the age of sail, when livestock was carried onboard ship. If a ship was lost, pigs and roosters, in their crates, floated free.
References: Skin Deep: The Nautical Roots of Tattoo Culture by Megan Churchwell and https://www.history.navy.mil/
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