Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into what we’ve got on offer for Manly over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so hang tight.

The first solid recommendation we see kicks off on Tuesday, September 15. The earlier part of the week is a write-off, so we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The standout window looks to be Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17, with the best conditions shaping up on Thursday morning.

Right now, the water at Manly is sitting at 63°, which is about 2° colder than average for this time of year – a little nippy, but nothing too wild.

Tuesday, September 15 morning: A small, clean window opens up. The swell is tiny, around 3 ft from the NE, and the period is short at 7 seconds. The wind is light offshore from the SSW, so the surface will be clean. It’s surfable, but very ordinary – more of a longboard or a beginner’s session. Combined swell energy is weak (112).

Wednesday, September 16 morning: The energy really kicks in. We’ve got an 12 ft swell from the S, with a 10-second period, and a fresh offshore wind from the SSW. This is big, powerful stuff. The combined swell energy is massive (2117). This is expert territory at over 8 ft. The waves will be heavy and the rip will be strong. Not one for the faint-hearted.

Thursday, September 17 morning: This is the pick of the forecast. The swell drops a touch to 10 ft from the S, still with a 10-second period. The wind is moderate offshore from the SSW. The combined swell energy remains very strong (1823). It’s still big, only for experienced surfers, but with the clean, offshore conditions, the quality is expected to be excellent. This is the one to point your board at if you’ve got the skills.

Friday, September 18 morning: The swell drops right back to 5 ft from the SSE, with a 9-second period. The wind goes glassy (NNW 5 km/h). The combined energy is moderate (320). It’ll be clean and small, but the conditions are very ordinary otherwise.

The rest of the second week is largely a bust. Saturday, September 19 sees a tiny, clean 3 ft S swell in the morning, but it’s nothing to write home about. Sunday and Monday are poor.

Monday, September 21 morning: A bigger swell (8 ft from the S, 12-second period) shows up, but with a fresh cross-offshore SSE wind and combined energy of 1528, it looks marginal, with questionable conditions.

Tuesday, September 22 morning: Another big pulse of 8 ft from the S, with a 12-second period, but it’s onshore wind from the NNE. Combined energy is huge (2266), but the wind will chop it up. Not good.

Wednesday, September 23 morning: A smaller, cleaner window appears. The swell is 5 ft from the S, with a very long 12-second period. The wind is glassy from the NW. The combined energy is moderate (608). The glassy conditions will make it look nice, but the long period might make it a bit straight at a beach break like Manly. Still, it’s the only decent look in the second week.

Monday, September 28 morning: We see a return of bigger swell (10 ft from the S, 10-second period) with a strong cross-offshore S wind. The combined energy is very strong (1720). It’s big and clean, but the description is marginal, suggesting it might be tough.

Tuesday, September 29 morning: Another big 10 ft S swell, with a very long 13-second period, and combined energy is massive (2920). But the wind is onshore from the ENE, so the quality will be poor.

The Best Bet: If you’re experienced, Thursday, September 17 morning is the standout. Big, powerful S swell with clean offshore wind. That’s the session to lock in. For the less experienced, Tuesday, September 15 morning is the only real option for small, clean waves.

Rusty, signing off.

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