Manasquan Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here with a look at what's happening at Manasquan Inlet. Gotta be honest, this stretch ahead is a tough one. We've got a long dry spell of real poor conditions before a couple of windows open up, but even then, it's nothing to write home about. Let’s break it down.

We're starting out with a bit of a kick in the teeth. From now through to the end of next week, it's pretty much flat and/or junk. There’s some tiny swell around, but it's mixed with onshore or cross winds, and the wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions." For the first eight days, from Sunday the 9th through to Sunday the 16th, the swell is small—anywhere from 0.7ft to 2ft—with super short periods around 5-7 seconds. The water is a balmy 77°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but you won't be using that as an excuse to get wet.

There’s a bit of a shift around Monday the 17th. The morning shows a glassy clean-up with 4ft of SSE swell. The period is still short at 5 seconds, though, so the combined wave energy is only moderate at (77). It's surfable, but very ordinary. The glassy conditions are a big positive, but the shape will be pretty weak. The afternoon sees the wind pick up from the S at 16 mph, making a mess of things.

The next real glimpse comes Tuesday morning, the 18th of August. We've got another glassy start with 3ft of SSE swell, this time with a slightly better 8-second period. The combined energy climbs to (136), which is moderate. It’s still not amazing, but that glassy, clean surface is a major win. It’s the best we'll see for a while, even if it’s only a 1 out of 10 on the score. Crowds are often an issue here, and this might draw a few out for the clean conditions.

After that, it's back to the struggle. Wednesday the 19th brings onshore wind, and Thursday the 20th sees a bigger pulse of 5ft S swell but ruined by onshore flow. That size is getting too big for beginners, but it’s messy with cross-onshore wind, so it's not great for anyone. The energy is strong at (210) but the quality is zip.

There’s a final, quiet hope on Saturday the 23rd and Monday the 24th. The 24th morning shows a glassy 3ft ENE swell, but with a 4-second period, which is total windswell. The energy is weak at (72). It’s another "ordinary" slot. To be honest, if you've got a kite, the setup on the 20th and 21st with that bigger swell and strong cross winds (S up to 22 mph) looks way more exciting for jumping than it does for paddle surfing.

So, the standout, if you can call it that, is the Tuesday morning, 18th of August. It’s the cleanest window we get. For the rest of the 16-day run, you're mostly going to be sitting on the beach. The consistent poor ratings tell the story—it’s just a funk.

Rusty

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