Manasquan Inlet Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a long, hard look at what's coming up for us at Manasquan Inlet. We've got a 16-day window, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch. The first few days are pretty much a write-off, so don't bother paddling out just yet.

We're starting from Wednesday the 8th, and the surf is... well, it's not good. There's a tiny 2ft swell from the ENE with a weak period of 6 seconds. It's coming from the wrong direction for the break, and we've got a cross-onshore wind messing it up. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 72°F, but that's about the only positive. This trend of small, weak, and choppy surf continues right through to Sunday the 12th. There's a slight bump on Sunday afternoon with 4ft from the East, but the period is still a sad 6 seconds and the wind is onshore. It's flat out poor.

Now, Monday the 13th, we see a little more energy, with the afternoon swell hitting 5ft from the East, but it's still short-period windswell and cross-onshore. Not your classic Manasquan day. Finally, on Tuesday morning the 14th, we get a glimpse of something surfable. There's a 4ft swell from the ESE with an 8-second period. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SW, keeping things clean. This is the first time with clean conditions, but the overall quality is just "surfable but very ordinary." It's for the advanced crew who can make the most of a lumpy, underwhelming jetty wave.

Looking further out, the pattern continues to be frustrating. We get a few more "surfable but ordinary" windows, like Wednesday afternoon the 15th with a 2ft clean offshore wind, or Thursday afternoon the 16th where it goes glassy with a tiny 3ft wave. But the size is just lacking. There's a spike in energy on the 22nd of July – a 4ft swell from the South with an 8-second period, but the onshore wind will turn it into a lumpy, blown-out mess.

For the second week, the story doesn't change much. We're looking at small, inconsistent pulses with periods mostly under 8 seconds. The only consistent positive is that we get some clean, offshore wind windows, but the swell just isn't cooperating. Tuesday the 21st sees another 4ft bump, but it's onshore again. There are no standouts here.

Overall, the best on offer is probably that Tuesday morning the 14th. It's clean, the wind is cross-offshore, and you'll find some 4ft waves. For the advanced guys who know the inlet, there might be a few corners to be had. But don't expect much. The rest of the period is a waiting game. This inlet needs a proper groundswell from a better direction to really fire, and we just aren't getting it in this forecast. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, keep your board in the car and maybe take up golf.

- Rusty

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