Are you looking for the ideal gift for a sea-loving friend? There is a plethora of possibilities from which to choose, but instead of being helpful, the over-abundance of choices available can cause you to be overwhelmed.

For this reason, I have narrowed down the choices to three possibilities that I know will please the nautically inclined friends we all know and love. Before I list these, I would like to give you a word of caution as to what not to buy.

Please do not decide to invest in tropical fish. They are a continuing expense and require a great deal of care. A decision to make this type of investment in both time and money can and should only be made by the sea-lover themselves.

Also, it would be better not to buy a Tide Clock, no matter how lovely they are. Most of them are only useful for those living on the East Coast, where there are predictable high and low tides.

With that said, here are the three best nautical-themed gift ideas I have found:

Gift Idea #1 – a Brass Diver's Helmet or Helmet Clock

Depending upon whether or not your sea-lover actually does deep-sea diving, you could either buy them a brass diver's helmet, or if it's strictly for decoration, why not consider a brass diver's helmet clock. There are a good number of them on the market, with a fairly reasonable price point that should fit any budget.

Gift Idea #2 – A Seaman's Knots Chart

Historically, the ability of a seaman to master how to tie certain knots was essential, - a correctly tied knot could mean the difference between life and death. There are some lovely charts of seaman's knots that you can buy, not only within a price range to suit every budget, but in enough different color combinations to allow for every nautical décor imaginable.

Gift idea #3 – Mermaids

Mermaids are one of the most important myths of the ancient mariners, and no self-respecting sea-lover wants to be without one. Due to their popularity, you can find mermaid art of every conceivable type, - from posters to paintings to figurines created from every conceivable substance…and easily fitting within every possible budget.