Diving Tattoos - Do you have one?

Manta ray, right calf. Came out really well!

 

This is my company logo I had tattoo'd about 2 weeks ago.

 

I have 2 tats...

First is my wife's name under my wedding ring.

Second is Diver Down flag on my right calf with the dates of my OW & AOW Certs. Once I've completed DM, AI & MSDT I'll add those dates to the flag.

I'm planning a second dive flag (International Alpha Flag) on my left Calf. This one would have the Cert dates for my Specialties & MSD Certs on the flag (5 Specialties to get MSD & MSD). The additional specialties I've got certs for will be listed below the flag.

 

Alpha flag is actually the international flag for commercial diving operations, many people get this confused for the international version of the red and white recreational flag.

The alpha flag warns mariners that the vessel is unable to move, typically due to surface support required by the vessel, and actually the only flag recognized by the coast guard. The red and white is just a warning that divers
are down in the area.

 

Mine is on my right shoulder and can be seen in my avatar. A Great White going up and a Mako going downwards, designed by a former intern, kind of a yin/yang, power/speed kind of thing. I prefer greyscale over color tats so no dive flags in the future, but maybe the Southern Cross constellation or a hei matau worked into a Polynesian design on my left upper arm.

I (stupidly) severed the extensor tendon in my left middle finger with my double edged dive knife a few weeks ago... it's fixed now, but it's one of many "inkless tats"

 

Tattoos hurt! I was gonna get a giant octopuss tattoo on my chest but only ended up with 1 dot.

 

The chest is nothin, try your rib cage, feels like someone is holding a blow torch on ur side for 4 hours...

At least u can say it's a baby octopus

 

Give it another shot. You have to get past the stinging/pricking pain stage to where your endorphins kick in. Maybe biting on a lemon - or something that tastes utterly disgusting - might distract from the pain?

 

Mine is on my right calf, which as fate woudl have it is probably the leanest / least "insualated" parts of my body .... The stinging/pricking pain wasn't so bad; like Louie said the endorphins kick in. They also wear off shortly after the actual tattooing ends, which is when the most severe and longest lasting cramp I've expereinced in my life kicked in!
:shocked2:
I really wans't expecting that, but lucky for me it was my last night of vacation and I had to get rid of all of the beverages we had left in the condo fridge!!

That said, I've already started thinking about what I'm going to get on the left calf!! (and it will be dive related )

 

I'm aware of the difference. Alpha Flag flown alone means "Surface movement limited by Underwater Activity", none the less it is a "Dive Flag" and I'd prefer to have 2 different flag on my calves so the second one will be Alpha.