The new wave board made by woodboard, the kite manufacturer on Lake Neusiedl, is decorated with a mythological creature, the greek sea nymph Aktaia. She was not only regarded as sensual and beautiful, but also loved to play in the waves.
Aktaia - the new woodboard goddess
The Nereid Aktaia, one of the 50 sea nymphs in Greek mythology, is said to have blonde hair and green eyes. She is described by ancient authors as beautiful and seductive and, like all Nereids, she usually wears white silk robes. Her head is crowned with red coral.
Like her sisters, she loved singing and dancing. The Nereids enjoyed spending their time swimming, playing and dancing with dolphins. Devoted to beach life, the Nereids stayed barefoot. They often rode through the seas on a dolphin or a hippocampus, a mythical creature that is a horse in the front part and has the shape of a fish in the back.
Aktaia is the goddess of gentle, friendly seas and beaches, so she lives close to people and is kind to them.
Because of her love for the beach and her sense of playing in the water, the woodboard team was inspired by the sea nymph to design the new wave board woodboard Aktaia.
Nereids - the nymphs of the sea
The 50 Nereids are the daughters of the archaic sea god Nereus and Doris. The Oceanid Doris was a daughter of the mighty creator goddess of the pre-Olympic gods, Gaia, from whom the world was born and herself a goddess of the seas.
Nereids are the nymphs of the sea who protect shipwrecked people, save the lives of fishermen and divers and entertained sailors with games.
They represent the many facets of the sea, especially the Mediterranean: from the salty spray to the deep blue, the gentle waves of the coast and the depths of the sea, the currents, rocky cliffs or golden sandy beaches. In addition, they embody characteristics of seafarers or wishes that are directed towards them.
In a golden palace in the depths of the sea they resided with Nereus, the "old man of the sea". The Nereids were often accompanied by Poseidon and protected the seafarers, such as the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece.
The most famous nereids include Thetis, mother of the hero Achilles, and Amphitrite, wife of Poseidon and mother of Triton.
Die Nymphen – Seelen der Natur
The nereids are essentially nymphs, which are very numerous in Greek mythology. Because they represent the living nature, they are the souls of all appearances on earth. Nymphs animate springs, streams, trees, valleys, mountains and caves, the starry sky and the ocean. Their nature is playful and seductive and they dedicate their existences to dance, music, singing, craft, hunting and their love affairs.
They are helpful to people, but shy and many a man may have fallen under their spell. They are mortal, but their life lasts so long that they are almost immortal. The death of a nymph usually coincides with the end of the natural phenomenon that it embodies. If a spring dries up, the end of the nymph has come too.
The Neiads are the nymphs of the springs, streams and fountains, the Nereids, like Aktaia, and Oceanids are the daughters of the sea. Dryads enliven the forests and hyads appear as raindrops. Their names and appearances are innumerable.
Kea - the island of the water nymphs
A very special myth surrounds the Cycladic island of Kea, which is also called Tzia. It is said to have been inhabited by nymphs in prehistoric times and to have been particularly beautiful and rich in water. That is why it was once called Hydroussa.
But the gods, who envied her this, sent a lion to drive the nymphs away. With them the abundance of water was lost and the island dried up.
Pan and the nymphs
Sexuality and sensuality are essential characteristics of the enchanting and often naked nymphs. Her exuberant and non-binding relationship with the untamed shepherd god Pan points to her ancient roots. Because the horned god of the forest, who stands for male strength, fertility and nature, appears in many ancient mythologies. He is always surrounded by nymphs and satyrs. Pan often appeared in the wake of the god Dionysus, the god of wine, joy, fertility, madness and ecstasy, where he played music and danced. Incidentally, he also had a temple in Kea, the island of the water nymphs.
Artemis, the first of the nymphs
As much as the nymphs appreciated playing with sensuality, they did not become wives. Because Artemis sees herself as the first among the nymphs. The goddess of the forests and the hunt, mistress of animals, moon goddess and patron goddess of births and women is repeatedly referred to as virgin. But that only meant that she remained independent, because male and female lovers are reported in Greek mythology. Finally Artemis also fell in love with the hunter Orion and celebrated the holy wedding with Aktaion. As a child, Artemis expressed the wish to remain unmarried and chose her mates from among the nymphs. She went hunting with them, with them she spent the nights in the woods and went with them in her chariot across the sky as the moon goddess.
And the connection between the moon and the sea is probably familiar to every surfer who has ever watched the tides.
Click here for the woodboard Aktaia
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