Thats an unwritten rule. Never ask the meaning of the nautical stars. Broadly, it's about a safe return home or keeping your direction in life. But specifically, people tend to get these for very fucked up reasons, and the conversation is just better avoided. Like, "i do <insert bad thing>, and dont really intend to stop, but these star tattoos remind me to try to follow the right path".
Traditionally, didn't they mean you got into(or won) a bar fight in a foreign port? Red and green, representing lights on a ship meaning to "give way".
Red on your Right when Returning. In general in Maritime practices, red and green help establish how to avoid obstacles and other ships, yes. I dont know about any particular traditions with the navy about barfights and getting one though.
Back in the 19th century the Red Polaris tattoo was common for whalers that had worked in the North Atlantic. Rowland Macy had one that became the symbol of the Macy brand.
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u/3HoursSober 4d ago
But do they mean something? Or is it just a tasteless tattoo?