Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Manly over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with ya – the next week and a half is pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of nothin’ much worth paddling out for. There’s a bit of swell around, but the wind is all over the shop, and the wave quality is just poor. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Wednesday, the 9th of September.

So, from now until then, it’s a whole lot of small, wind-affected slop. Most days, you’re looking at knee-to-waist high southerly swell around 3 ft, but with cross-shore or onshore breezes, it’s just messy. There’s a brief moment of glass on Monday morning, the 31st of August, with a 3 ft S swell and 8-second period, but the energy is weak (267) and the conditions are only “ordinary”. It’s a tough call, but if you’re desperate for a slide, that’s your best bet in the first week.

Now, the real standout is shaping up for Thursday, the 10th of September. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. We’re looking at a solid 8 ft southerly groundswell, with a long 11-second period. The combined energy is massive (1386), so there’s some serious power in the water. The big kicker here is the wind: glassy, dead calm, clean conditions for the morning. That’s a rare combo for Manly. For a point break, this long-period swell will wrap in nicely. Keep in mind, at 8 ft, this is expert territory only – it’s gonna be a heavy, powerful day. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The day before, on Wednesday the 9th, there’s a decent runner-up with a 6 ft southerly swell (energy 510) and clean offshore winds from the south in the morning. That’s a solid, fun day for intermediate surfers, but the Thursday morning glass is the real prize.

After that, Friday the 11th still has some juice with a 5 ft S swell and clean cross-offshore breeze in the morning, but the energy drops off a bit. Then it’s back to small, weak conditions as we head into the second week.

So, to sum it up: the next few days are a write-off. Hang tight, because Wednesday the 9th is a good session, and the Thursday morning, the 10th of September, is the absolute standout – a rare, glassy, powerful day at Manly. Don’t miss it if you’ve got the skills.

Rusty.

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