Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's have a look at what's in store. The next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of dead-set windows where Manly's going to turn it on. First up, this Thursday the 27th, we've got some chest-high south swell pushing through, around 6ft. But the wind is blowing from the southeast at 6 mph, making it cross and a bit lumpy. It's looking pretty ordinary, so don't get too excited. There's a moderate amount of energy in the water (497), but I'd be waiting for the winds to settle.

Friday morning the 28th looks like the first real highlight. The swell drops slightly to 6ft, but the wind swings west at 3 mph, giving us a clean cross-off. The swell direction is a touch more south-southeast, and the period bumps to 11 seconds. You can feel the extra push in the water (727). It's going to be clean, and this is where I'd be pointing the car. The water temp is sitting at 64°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so the wetsuit is doing its job.

Saturday the 29th keeps the good times rolling. Same size swell, around 4-5ft, with a nice light southwest offshore wind in the morning. Clean lines, a bit of power, and the sets are coming through with a 10-second interval. This is another solid morning for a surf (575). The afternoon gets a bit cross with a sea breeze from the east-southeast, so make the most of the morning.

We hit a flat stretch after that, through Sunday and into the middle of next week. The swell just fades out and the wind goes onshore or cross-shore, making the conditions pretty messy. There's nothing worth paddling out for. You're going to be looking at a few days of tiny, weak surf. It's a real lull, so this is the time to do the waxing, fix the fins, and wait.

Now, the standout for the whole period has to be Tuesday the 8th of September. The tail end of a proper south swell runs in, and we see the biggest waves of the window. The morning is just firing. Swell is a solid 8ft at 10 seconds from the south, with light SSW winds giving us a clean cross-off. This is a lot of water. The combined energy is over 2000 (2110), which is strong. This is for experienced surfers only; if you're a beginner, this is way too big.

The day before, Monday the 7th, will be a bit wild as the swell peaks. We're looking at 12ft of south swell, but the strong west-northwest winds at 22 mph will be howling. It'll be powerful and raw, but the conditions are going to be challenging. That heavy water (2553 Monday morning, 3849 Monday afternoon) is no joke. More of a big-wave day for the crew who are seriously committed. The following morning, Tuesday the 8th, is the one to get.

After that, the swell eases through Wednesday the 9th, and we settle back into small, clean but weak surf towards the end of the week. There is a promising long-period groundswell due on Friday the 11th from the south with a 20-second period, but it's only about 3ft. It's got that very long wavelength which could produce some nice, tidy point waves, but it won't have much punch.

So, to wrap it up: it's a slow start, a great weekend, a flat spell, then a proper size event early September if you're an expert. Saturday morning the 29th is your best bet for a fun, clean surf, and the morning of the 8th is the real standout if you're up for it.

Rusty.

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