Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at what’s coming for Manly. It’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, with some proper windows of clean surf, but you’ve gotta pick your moments.

The overall pattern starts quiet, really quiet, with a few days of small, ordinary waves. But then we get a lovely run of southerly groundswell building into the end of the month and into the start of August. The water temp is sitting right around average for this time of year at 64°, so nothing weird there.

For Monday 20 July, the morning is your only real chance. We’ve got a clean 6ft swell from the ENE, with a period of 11 seconds, and a light cross-offshore wind from the west at 5 km/h. The combined energy is moderate but solid (1016). It’s a bit on the bigger side for total beginners, but for anyone who’s been out a few times, it’s really good. The afternoon turns to junk with an onshore breeze, so get in early.

Tuesday 21 July and Wednesday 22 July are pretty average. The swell drops, and the wind’s either cross-on or onshore. Wednesday afternoon does go glassy with zero wind, but the swell’s only 4ft – it’s clean but small, surfable if you’re desperate.

Thursday 23 July is tiny, with 3ft swell and a strong offshore wind in the afternoon – clean but barely any push.

Now, the standout window. Friday 24 July morning is the first real highlight. The swell jumps back to 6ft, this time from the south, with a 9-second period and a clean cross-offshore breeze from the west-southwest at 15 km/h. The combined energy is moderate (647). For a point break like Manly, that’s a fun size, and the wind keeps it clean. The morning is the go.

Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July have a bit more size, around 4ft to 6ft from the south, but the wind is stronger and cross-offshore, so it’s a bit choppy. Still surfable, but not as good as Friday.

Then we hit a bit of a lull from Monday 27 July through Wednesday 29 July – small, weak, and mostly average.

But hold on, because Thursday 30 July morning is the big one. There’s a proper pulse of southerly groundswell, 8ft, with a long period of 13 seconds, and a clean offshore wind from the southwest at 20 km/h. The combined energy is strong (3579). This is excellent, but it’s also big – over 8ft, so this is for experienced surfers only. The long period means it’ll have good shape and power, but at a point break like Manly, it’ll handle that nicely. The afternoon is still 10ft from the south, but the wind goes cross-off, so it’s a bit less tidy.

Friday 31 July and Saturday 1 August keep the good run going. Friday morning has 7ft from the south, 11-second period, and a gentle offshore from the southwest – expect very good conditions. Saturday morning is 7ft from the south with a 13-second period and a light offshore – very clean and fun.

After that, from Sunday 2 August onwards, the swell drops back to 5ft or less, and the wind gets a bit cross-off or onshore, so it’s just ordinary, marginal surf.

The gap I mentioned? There’s no real gap at the start this time – the Monday morning (20 July) is the first worthwhile session. But from Tuesday 21 July through Thursday 23 July, it’s pretty poor, so that’s about three days of weak surf. The real gold is on Friday 24 July morning, and then the big stuff from Thursday 30 July through Saturday 1 August.

If you’re after the best on offer, I’d point you to Thursday 30 July morning (8ft south, 13 sec, offshore, clean) – that’s the one for the experienced crew. For a slightly less intense but still really good session, Friday 24 July morning (6ft south, clean) is a ripper for all levels.

Rusty.

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