100+ Ocean Quotes and Captions for Instagram (Waves, Snorkelling and Sea Life)

Swimming with turtles off Moalboal in the Philippines, snorkelling in the clear water around Nusa Lembongan, or just sitting on an Algarve beach watching the waves roll in. The ocean has given us some of our favourite travel moments, and we never get tired of it.

Here are the best ocean quotes from writers and explorers, plus over 100 ocean captions for Instagram: short ones, wave captions, snorkelling and diving captions, sea life, sailing and a few about protecting the ocean. For beach photos, see our 200+ beach captions.

Famous ocean quotes

These are given as they are commonly attributed. Where a famous quote is often credited to the wrong person, we say so.

• “No water, no life. No blue, no green.” Sylvia Earle
• “The sea is everything.” Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
• “How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” Often attributed to Arthur C. Clarke
• “The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.” Vincent van Gogh
• “There is, one knows not what sweet mystery about this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath.” Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
• “The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place.” Rachel Carson, The Edge of the Sea
• “For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it’s always ourselves we find in the sea.” E.E. Cummings
• “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” Jacques Cousteau
• “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” Often attributed to Rumi, though the source is unclear
• “You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Often credited to Christopher Columbus, but it’s a version of a line by André Gide

Short ocean captions

• Ocean soul.
• Salt in the air.
• Deep blue dreams.
• Ocean therapy.
• Blue mind.
• Lost at sea (on purpose).
• Sea more, worry less.
• Ocean child.
• Into the blue.
• Born to swim.
• Saltwater heart.
• Ocean air, clear mind.
• The sea is calling.
• Tides and vibes.
• Water baby.
• Endless blue.
• Mermaid mode.
• Sea you soon.
• Ocean breeze.
• Gone swimming.

Wave captions

• Catch waves, not feelings.
• Let the waves carry you.
• Riding the wave.
• Waves for days.
• Chasing the perfect wave.
• Ebb and flow.
• Life comes in waves.
• Every wave is different.
• Making waves.
• Waves crash, mind calms.
• High tide, high vibes.
• Sound of the waves, the best playlist.
• The waves don’t stop, and neither do we.
• Wild waves, wild heart.
• Washed away by the waves.

Snorkelling and diving captions

• Underwater is my happy place.
• Mask on, world off.
• Life is better underwater.
• Snorkel squad.
• Breathe, dive, explore.
• Exploring the big blue.
• Life is calmer under the water.
• Bubbles and coral.
• Fish are friends, not food.
• Reef days.
• Deep thoughts, deeper dives.
• My other office is underwater.
• Weightless in the blue.
• Snorkel selfie.
• Just keep swimming.

Sea life captions

• Swimming with turtles. Bucket list: ticked.
• Turtle-y amazing.
• Dolphins at play.
• Whale hello there.
• Manta ray magic.
• Shark week, real life edition.
• Seal of approval.
• Under the sea with the locals.
• Nemo, found.
• Octopus’ garden, found.

Sailing and boat captions

• Boat days are the best days.
• Sail away with me.
• Salty hair, boat life.
• Anchors up.
• Life is better on a boat.
• Island hopping by boat.
• Sea breeze and sunshine.
• Catamaran cruising.
• On a boat, on top of the world.
• Sunset sail.

Deep ocean quotes and captions

• The ocean doesn’t ask questions. It just listens.
• Peace is the sound of the sea.
• The sea washes away what the land can’t.
• Salt water heals everything.
• Be like the ocean: calm on top, deep underneath.
• The ocean reminds me how small my problems are.
• There’s no better therapy than the sea.
• Lost in the vastness of the blue.
• Some of the best things in life are wet and salty.
• Find me where the ocean meets the sky.

Ocean conservation captions

• Protect what you love.
• Leave only footprints, take only memories.
• Respect the ocean.
• Less plastic, more ocean.
• Keep the sea plastic-free.
• Love the reef, wear reef-safe sunscreen.
• The ocean gives us so much. Give back.
• Save the turtles.
• Clean seas, happy me.
• Our oceans, our future.

Ocean captions with emojis

• Ocean vibes 🌊
• Turtle time 🐢
• Dolphin spotting 🐬
• Whale watching 🐳
• Snorkel day 🤿
• Boat life ⛵
• Coral reef 🪸
• Sea shells 🐚
• Deep blue 💙
• Surf’s up 🏄

Ocean hashtags for Instagram

Pick a handful that suit your photo.

#ocean #oceanlife #sea #oceanlover #underwater #snorkeling #scubadiving #seaturtle #saltlife #bluewater #waves #marinelife #saveouroceans #beach #vitaminsea

What is a famous quote about the ocean?

Jacques Cousteau’s “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever” and Sylvia Earle’s “No water, no life. No blue, no green” are two of the best known.

Which quote or caption are you using? Let us know in the comments.

Steve and Sabina

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