Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the imperial version. Let’s get into it.

Alright, lookin’ at the next 16 days at Manly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a real gem hiding in there if you’re patient. We start with a small window of opportunity right off the bat, but then things get messy before clearing up for a proper standout.

We kick off on Thursday afternoon, the 3rd of September. It’s not a total write-off, but it’s pretty ordinary. Swell’s a tiny 2 ft out of the south, with a moderate 10-second period, and we’ve got 12 mph winds from the WSW blowing offshore. That’ll keep the surface clean, but the wave energy is weak (83). It’s surfable, but don’t expect much.

Now, Friday morning, the 4th of September, is where it gets interesting. The wind drops right out, going glassy from the WNW at just 3 mph. The swell has bumped up to a clean 5 ft from the south, with a nice 10-second period. The combined energy is moderate (518). This is a solid bet for the early birds. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about normal for this time of year—nothing weird there.

The rest of Friday afternoon, and all of Saturday and Sunday, is a write-off. The wind swings onshore, cross-onshore, or just plain cross, and the wave quality drops off hard. The swell sticks around, but the conditions are just poor. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are both no-gos.

Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th stay poor. The wind is all over the shop, and the swell is either small or blown out. Tuesday morning does see a 7 ft swell from the south, but with a short 8-second period and cross-offshore winds, it’s not gonna be pretty. The energy is moderate (993), but that’s not enough to save it.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Friday morning, the 11th of September. The wind is light offshore from the SW at 6 mph, and the swell is a solid 7 ft out of the south with a longer 11-second period. The combined energy is strong (1146). This is a proper groundswell, and with that offshore wind, Manly is going to be clean and firing. The wave comment says it all: “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the best on offer, no question. That 7 ft swell is getting up there, so it’s not for the beginners, but for the crew who know what they’re doing, get out there.

The rest of the 11th and the weekend after that fall off again. Saturday the 12th has a smaller 4 ft south swell and clean conditions, but the wind switches cross-offshore, making it just “surfable.” The 16-second period swell on Sunday the 13th might look tempting, but it’s only 2 ft and onshore wind kills it.

The second week, from the 14th to the 18th of September, is pretty grim. The wind is mostly onshore or cross, and the swell is small or messy. There’s no real standouts in that period. If you’re waiting for a wave, the 11th is your day.

Rusty, signing off.

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