Stripes of dark specks, getting lighter and almost vanishing, then appearing again, waved from the prow to the deckhouse upon the ship's hull, making the effect of flickering.

As a matter of fact, it's extremely embarrassing to describe in words what the cuttlefish is up to do with it's own body.
The colour and texture are changed like by a switch, it can wink like a stroboscope, disappear in any environment by covering itself with pimples and lumps, drive over the body stripes and patches of pulsating circles to and fro. Add also the iridescent shimmering skirt, freely change of the motion directions without turning the body and a pair of long throwing hunting tentacles. Actually, can't refrain from recommending to type, for example, "Cuttlefish hunt" in the YouTube.com search bar.
And in case You'd like a full psychedelia, then try "Metasepia pfefferi".