A captivating natural phenomenon has been photographed lighting up Napier's waters in an incredibly vivid blue.
Liv Jack, admin of the Whale Watch Hawkes Bay Facebook page, posted the spectacular photos on Thursday. She told Newshub she was in "absolute awe" at the sight.
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"I would put it up there with the aurora in visual appearance," she said.
It was bioluminescence in the water - likely to be caused by microscopic algae called Noctiluca scintillans that light up electric blue when disturbed.
"You honestly have to see it in person to witness the beauty," Ms Jack said.
"If you can get close enough and just watch it hitting the rocks, it almost looks like galaxies - little stars scattered and jumping about."
Bioluminescence is often highlighted when splashing around rocks or if someone wades through the water - and Ms Jack said at first, she didn't know what they were looking for.
"My partner stumbled down onto the smaller stones to have a look and under his feet [it] lit up beautifully."
A marine biologist previously told Newshub that increased appearances of the dazzling spectacle could be linked to warmer oceans and changing sea currents.
Thankfully, it's harmless to humans and animals.
Newshub.
