But all is not as it appears.

Users of the Google Earth mapping function on the ubiquitous search engine have noticed a shape, apparently submerged, near the entrance to the harbour, looking very much like a vessel.

It is clearly underwater, according to the pictures, ripples of water cover the deck, and the camera doesn’t lie.

Or does it?

Look a little closer and the ship is remarkably upright – which would be unusual for a wreck.

And are those cars still on board the deck? Why is the shadow so clearly visible at the stern?

There may be a simpler answer, one that has more to do with satellite photography than it does with ghost ships.

Mercury photographer Adam McLean said he thought the appearance was caused by multiple images being ‘‘sandwiched’’ together, creating a ghosting effect.

This would be caused by different photographs being taken during several passes of a satellite, with one capturing the ship as it left the harbour, and another capturing just water with no ship. These multiple exposures would then be overlaid for the satellite ‘‘map’’.

‘‘It’s layering of the photos that makes it look like the ship is underwater,’’ he said.

His colleague, photographer Robert Peet, a regular fisherman off the coast of Port Kembla, said he had not seen the phantom vessel.

‘‘There’s no wreck out there,’’ he said.

‘‘But I’m going to be out there running the sonar over it to check anyway – it would be great for fishing.’’

A Google spokesman sent a statement from the internet giant, written in the code of international maritime signal flags (below right).

It translated as ‘‘NOTHING TO SEE HERE’’.

The Mercury took this as meaning the ‘‘ghost ship’’ was actually a trick of the camera.

The Google spokesman later expanded on his comment.

‘‘From the SS Yongala to the Lady Darling, some shipwrecks make history,’’ he said.

‘‘This one just left a passing impression.’’

Just to be sure, Port Kembla water police said they were not aware of any shipwreck in that area, either lately or longer into the past.

The water police also said the water in that part of the outer harbour would be too shallow to allow a large ship to be submerged.

An ocean depth estimated at between nine metres and 13 metres would not be enough to cover the large ships that use Port Kembla, particularly the larger ships such as car carriers.

So that’s it, kids – there’s no such thing as ghost ships.