Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me have a look at what we’ve got coming up.

First up, Saturday the 12th is the only real bright spot early on. We’ve got a clean, glassy morning at Manly with a light 4ft south swell rolling in, period around 12 seconds. That’s decent groundswell energy, and with the wind coming from the north-northeast at just 3 mph, it’s going to be smooth. The combined energy is moderate at 621, and the water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about average for this time of year. It’s a beginner-friendly point break, so if you’re looking to get wet, that’s your window. Keep in mind, crowds are often an issue here, so get in early.

After that, we hit a real flat spell. Sunday the 13th through to Tuesday the 15th is pretty much a write-off – tiny swells, onshore winds, just not worth paddling out for. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations.

Then things get interesting mid-week. Wednesday the 16th brings a big jump in size, but it’s messy. We’re looking at 12ft to 13ft south swell with strong cross-offshore winds from the south-southwest at 22 mph. The energy is huge – over 2000 and nearly 3000 – but conditions are marginal. That’s big, raw power, and the short period (9-10 seconds) means it’ll be lumpy. Not for the faint-hearted; this is expert territory only.

Now, the standout: Thursday the 17th morning. This is the one to circle. Clean, gentle offshore wind from the south-southwest at 9 mph, and a solid 8ft south swell with a 10-second period. The combined energy is strong at 1363, and it’s glassing up nicely. That’s proper, punchy waves for experienced surfers. Manly as a point break handles that direction well. If you’ve got the skills, this is the best of the whole run.

After that, it fades fast. Friday the 18th through to the end of the second week is mostly small, weak, and onshore. There’s a tiny pulse around Saturday the 19th with a very long 18-second period south swell, but it’s only 2ft – more of a whisper than a wave. Then from the 22nd to the 26th, it’s inconsistent and generally poor, with the exception of Friday the 25th morning: a glassy 7ft east-northeast swell with calm winds, but that period is short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit crumbly. Still, worth a look for the clean conditions.

Bottom line: Saturday morning the 12th for beginners, Thursday morning the 17th for the experienced crew. The rest is mostly a waiting game.

- Rusty

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