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The fierce clashes between South Australia’s giant cuttlefish is a real spectacle—and capturing the action is quite a challenge (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/13, 1/100s, ISO 320)
 

I’ve enjoyed visiting Australia several times over the years and have always been drawn to South Australia for its diving opportunities. Diving in South Australia is similar to diving in my native California, where visibility can change quickly, water temperatures are cool, and the weather varies. The best part about visiting this area is the abundance of empty dive sites, the friendly people, and the fantastic experience of diving in a wild, largely untouched location.

Getting to South Australia is simple, with Adelaide serving as the central hub for flights arriving and departing around the clock. Everything is self hire, so be prepared to handle logistics before you go—and get comfortable driving on the left side of the road! Since all rentals are self hire, I recommend an SUV—or a “ute,” as it’s called—which can carry multiple tanks, dive gear, travel supplies, and handle some dirt roads. When you arrive, you’ll immediately notice the lack of people: The airport can be busy, but once you start driving, everything changes quickly, and you’re immersed in the rural countryside.
 

It’s hard to tell males from females until the males start to posture or fight. Here, a female (foreground) patiently waits for a victor, all under the watchful eyes of a diver. The male in the background was already showing severe scars from brawling (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Nauticam EMWL with 160° Objective Lens, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/13, 1/60s, ISO 320)
 

Whyalla is one of three main towns on the Eyre Peninsula. The countryside is made up of rural farms and is mostly arid and flat. The terrain makes the area vulnerable to bad weather during the cuttlefish season, which runs from June to August (southern Australia’s winter). Following our local contact’s expert advice, we planned our visit to start at the beginning of the season when the cuttlefish were arriving and at their best.

The world’s largest cuttlefish, the Australian giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) gathers once a year for its spawning event. The unique phenomenon occurs along a small stretch of beach in the upper Spencer Gulf, where over 250,000 giant cutties assemble, driven by some mysterious cue, to find mates and lay eggs. This incredible number of cuttlefish has increased significantly since 2013, when their population was estimated at around 13,500. As the species neared extinction, commercial fishing was banned, giving the animals space to migrate and breed peacefully. Mating is a vital life event, and both males and females must be strong and well prepared, as they put all their life energy into the process.
 

The natural terrain is shallow and wide. The cuttlefish blend seamlessly with their environment. Solitary males patrol the area, searching for females hidden beneath ledges and within the terrain, often under algae-covered rocks (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/16, 1/100s, ISO 320)
 

The leading dive site is just outside of Whyalla—on Cuttlefish Drive, of course—about 30 minutes from town. The area has experienced significant improvements over the years and is now a world-class dive park, carefully maintained by the local council. I was impressed to see the facilities so well kept, including ample parking, covered picnic benches for gear and camera staging, public restrooms, a changing area, and a fire pit to warm up after cold dives. A path from the staging area leads down to the entry point. The diving is shallow, but the water is cold, so be ready. Layer up or use a drysuit to enable long dives.

Moving slowly, you’ll start to notice the cautious eyes of perfectly camouflaged females peering out from shelters (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/11, 1/100s, ISO 320)

Courtship and Competition

The substrate along the shoreline consists of small rocks and boulders covered in algae, providing an ideal spot for females to lay their eggs. By finning slowly, you can see the eyes of females peering out from beneath the crevices. In the shallows, males of the species patrol and search for females among the boulders. Males outnumber females by about five to one, and because of this disparity, competition among the eager males is intense. Males are generally much larger than females; typically, the biggest and strongest males succeed. However, this isn’t always the case, as male cutties are also skilled at deception, a trait they need to develop.

When a male finds a female, he starts a courtship display that involves changing the color and texture of his skin. Excited, he pulsates a ribbon of color down his back and furrows his eyebrows. This dazzling display of attraction catches the females’ interest, but it’s also risky and doesn’t go unnoticed by rivals. The prying eyes of other males watch for these early signals. Once the colors start flashing, aggressive male competitors move in, and soon, the fight for the female—and for their survival—begins.

When the courting male detects an intruder, he becomes possessive, instantly shifting his attention between the female and the male by showing two different color displays. While keeping his courtship colors toward the female, he flashes his aggressive patterns at the rival. This usually drives off the intruder, but only for a moment. Soon, other males notice this activity and quickly approach—the dominant male tries to hold his ground, now surrounded by several competing males. Interestingly, as this scene unfolds, it seems the other males might not have seen the female cuttlefish yet; instead, they might have only responded to the color changes from their scout. This entire scene will play out all around you in every direction—and if you stay still, the cuttlefish won’t even notice you're there.
 

When a male finds a female and begins to display his courtship colors, other males quickly notice and move in, creating a busy, anxious scene. This is when the competition intensifies. Using strobes with a fast recycling time helps to capture the action (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/10, 1/125s, ISO 320)
 

Male posturing involves using intimidation tactics to dominate and conserve energy. Enlarging themselves to scare other males is just the beginning. Any injury to their eyes or head can be fatal, so they try to maintain a side-on stance and use their arms to keep opponents at bay. When the angle shifts, they can strike with toothed tentacles and attempt a mortal wound with their sharp beak. An injury might not kill immediately, but healing can sap energy and hinder their main goal—mating. Local experts explained that as the mating season progresses, males display battle scars, lose eyes and limbs, and develop gashes along their mantles.
 

Male posturing is a way to avoid physical contact, with males doubling or even tripling in size (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Nauticam EMWL with 160° Objective Lens, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/18, 1/60s, ISO 400)
 

I wanted to get in as close to the action as possible to capture the overwhelming size and feeling of what a male cutty must feel and see during a confrontation. Males are particularly adept at multitasking or defending against multiple intruders simultaneously, so as I slowly moved in, I was pushed away as a threat. Here, an enormous, dominant male easily fends off a smaller opponent while holding me back as I slowly pressed in to get the proper perspective and angle (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/13, 1/100s, ISO 320)
 

I observed many confrontations unfold and quickly realized that there is a real strategy: first, intimidation; then physical contact, which includes stretching, intertwining, and thrusting to achieve the right angle, followed by the strike. When the action begins, it’s fast and furious! (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/11, 1/100s, ISO 320)

Colorful Climax

With all the overstimulated male activity, females seem unamused, even bored, and are only focused on one thing: fertilizing their eggs. The males flare up and stretch their arms dramatically while sparring—easily tripling in size. Their arms elongate, colors become more vibrant, and they begin to twist, flare, and strike out with their toothy tentacles. The dominant male struggles to fend off the others but stands his ground, asserting his dominance over the female.

Suddenly, another female appears and slowly moves past the fighting males amidst the active display of bravado. However, this female is not really a female! This brilliant cuttlefish is known as a “sneaker”—another male disguised as a female. The sneaker approaches carefully from the side; then, at just the right moment, turns toward the female. Now face to face, the sneaker male reaches out gently, touching her, and soon they entwine their arms and begin to mate while the other males continue fighting.

At first, they seem cautious and try to hide, but after a few minutes, they drift upward and abandon their caution. From initial contact to the end, the cuttlefish stay together for up to five minutes, with the male passing his sperm packet to the female, then both pull away. Although cuttlefish are not monogamous, they remain together after mating, with the male accompanying and protecting her as she lays her eggs. Spawning is also their final act, and within a few weeks, they weaken and languish as their systems begin to break down.
 

A male cuttlefish protects his mate as she places her fertilized eggs. Once complete, they will both move on, leaving the eggs to mature on their own. Breeding rituals are often cut short when interrupted by other male intruders. When threatened, the male begins to “posture,” making itself appear larger by elongating its body and arms. Their colors are a mix of white, pink, and purple, with a zebra-striped pattern that pulses along their body. Ironically, cuttlefish are colorblind, so it is more likely that patterns and skin texture are the primary means of communication (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Nauticam EMWL with 160° Objective Lens, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/14, 1/100s, ISO 320)
 

Mating and laying eggs is the final act for these incredible creatures. After spending more than a year alone, foraging and growing strong, cutties travel hundreds of miles to this special place in hopes of finding a mate (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 8–15mm f/3.5–4.5 fisheye at 15mm, Nauticam housing, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/11, 1/100s, ISO 320)
 

The solitary egg of the giant cuttlefish is about the size of a pear-shaped ping-pong ball. This egg signifies both the beginning and the end of a life cycle for the cutties (Nikon Z8, Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8 Macro, Nauticam housing, Nauticam EMWL with 160° Objective Lens, dual Backscatter Hybrid Flash strobes, f/14, 1/60s, ISO 320)

Final Thoughts

Diving with the giant cuttlefish is an exhilarating experience that can make two hours pass as quickly as two minutes! Whyalla’s facilities are top class, and when conditions are favorable—as long as you protect yourself against the cold (both in and out of the water)—you’ll enjoy easy, crowd-free dives, perfect for concentrating on your photography. The cutties make for obliging photo subjects, and armed with a wide-angle or fisheye lens plus a pair of decent strobes, shooters are treated to some fantastic opportunities to capture this amazing Australian native.

Special thanks to our local guide Diana Fernie and fixer Manny; to Why Dive, who kept us in fresh air fills, and to Adelaide Scuba, who outfitted us in Scubapro gear for the trip.
 

In this short video by Walter Marti, the mating rituals of South Australia’s giant cuttlefish are captured in all their complex and fascinating glory
 

About the Author: Mike Bartick is a working underwater photographer residing in Anilao, Philippines. He has an insatiable love for finding unique marine life, observing and photographing their behavior, and sharing his insight and knowledge with others. His curiosity and drive for firsthand experiences have led him across the globe in search of that special critter encounter. Mike is a widely published, award-winning photographer, writer and international public speaker with work appearing monthly across various magazines, websites and online publications. He also hosts photo clinics, workshops and seminars at Crystal Blue Resort, concentrating on different aspects of underwater photography as well as the natural history of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific. www.saltwaterphoto.com