Fireworks!! Camera Issues?

O.K. So we all know I'm not a photographer. I know absolutely NOTHING about cameras either. I took these pictures last night at the festive conclusion of the picture perfect day at our marina. We were guests of our neighbors, Fred and Susan, and had an incredible view from the deck of their cruiser, "Just Ducky."

So what happened? I was using my digital camera and had it turned on the "fireworks" setting. Don't get me wrong, I think these are intriguing images, but they don't exactly look like what we were seeing in the sky. These sorta look like time-lapse?? Or a colony of squids. Or something viewed under a microscope. Or exotic molds in the refrigerator. Hmmmm. If anyone can shed some insight, please leave me a comment on your theory. Thanks.