Stunning drone photo shows a massive vortex in the Pacific Ocean off Manly Beach - VIDEO

An incredible photo of a 'tornado rip' at a busy Sydney beach has stunned Aussies. 

The phenomenon, which resembled a tornado in the deep water, was captured by surf photographer Jamen Percy at Manly Beach on Monday, News.Az reports, citing Daily Mail. 

Mr Percy warned the tornado rip could be extremely dangerous for swimmers because it was 'invisible to see from land, but perfectly visible by drone'. 

They are underwater currents that can pull you out to sea or under, caused by big waves from a swell event,' he explained. 

'The drone provided an excellent vision of this natural spectacle.'

A riptide is a current which forms when water piled up near the shore suddenly finds a narrow channel and flows back out to sea. 

It can look deceptively calm on the surface, but it can be very powerful underneath.

Swimmers caught in a riptide could feel like they're being pulled away from the beach; and it can be tough to swim back to shore. 

The photo left many Aussies in awe.

'Whaaaat?! It doesn't even look real,' one said. 

'I actually thought I was looking at somewhere in the Bahamas or something,' a second person agreed. 

'Can't believe it's right here! Isn't nature insane! I was today years old when I learnt about tornado rips,' a third wrote. 

'Looks like someone took out the plug, wow,' a fourth said. 

Such bizarre phenomena aren't foreign to Australian beaches, with an 'AI looking wave' spotted off the coastline in January.

Aerial footage showed water approaching from four different angles in the middle of the ocean, before explosively meeting in the middle.  

News.Az