Fijian cruise ship appears to fly in optical illusion above clear waters

The 3000-tonne Coral Endeavour appears to be flying, not floating in the Mamanuca Islands. Photo / Kiwi Droneography

Yes, the water really is that clear.

A 3000-tonne 'flying ship' was photographed off Fiji's Mamanuca Island group.

Reef Endeavour, whose shadow is clearly seen 200 metres below, appears to be flying not floating near the Narokorokoyawa sacred islands.

This remarkable illusion was captured by a Bay of Plenty couple aboard the Captain Cook cruise.

Bernard and Alisa Satherley from Papamoa say they had been dreaming of the shot for years. The professional drone photographers couldn't resist bringing some gear and a powerful polarising filter.

"I have never seen the shadow of such a large ship on the ocean floor before," they said.

"It's common to see this effect with smaller boats in shallow water but this was special."

The shadow wasn't the only thing apparently floating in the perfectly clear water.

A school of black and white tip reef sharks were captured following the boat.

Fijian reef sharks in perfectly clear, blue waters in the Mamanuca Islands. Photo / Kiwi Droneography

"The water looks so blue but rest assured we haven't added blue colour at all. It was just that clear."

Celebrating their wedding anniversary, 28 years after their honeymoon in Fiji, the Satherley's say its a part of the world that means a lot to them.

They had treated themselves to a trip with the Captain Cook Cruise Line, after coming to the islands for a photo shoot for Fiji Tourism.

The 3000-tonne Coral Endeavour appears to be flying, not floating in the Mamanuca Islands. Photo / Kiwi Droneography

More of their work can be seen at kiwidroneography.com

Why is the water so clear in Fiji?

Fiji is famous for clear waters, with many lagoons protected by coral reefs and shallow water which minimise upswell and particulates in the water.

This makes it a dream for divers and underwater photographers.

A more worrying pattern that could be affecting ocean clarity is rising ocean temperatures.

Reports by the US Environmental Protection Agency showed that 2021 was the warmest year for the world's oceans since records began in the late 1800s. 2022 is also heating up in the South Pacific.

Phytoplankton and other tiny sea creatures become scarce in warmer ocean currents, making them clearer.

Marine biologist Alani Tuivucilevu recently spoke with Reuters about concern over ocean ecosystems in Fiji, which she says were "very sensitive to heat."

The 2011 ocean heatwave was very good for photos, very bad for sea life and seaweed harvests.