Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s chew the fat on Manly’s surf prospects for the next couple of weeks.

Water temp is hangin’ around 63°F, pretty much what you’d expect for late August – no weirdness there. The story goes like this: a pulse of decent swell mid-to-late week, then a long dry spell that stretches out for days.

Best wave of the run is Friday the 28th. Friday morning, Manly picks up a clean 6ft from the SSE with an 11-second interval – that’s real groundswell, plenty of grunt. Light offshore breeze from the SW keeps the surface glassy. Combined energy is a solid 758 (moderate to strong), and with that period, a point break like Manly will shape up nicely. It’s one for the experienced crew – too big for beginners. And yeah, crowds often roll through here.

Saturday the 29th morning is still worth a look: 4ft, SSE, 10 seconds, light offshore, energy at 562. Clean, fun, but a step down from Friday.

Sunday the 30th starts the fade. 3ft, light wind, but energy has dropped to 273 and the waves are ordinary. Monday the 31st has a glassy dawn with only 2ft and a very long 15-second period – that long gap between sets can make it feel smaller and fatter, though Manly’s point might handle it better than most.

Then it’s a desert. From Tuesday the 1st of September right through to the 10th, it’s tiny. Swell mostly under 3ft, energy readings in the double or low triple digits, and the wind shifts around cross or onshore more often than not. There’s a glassy moment on the morning of the 9th of September, but with just 3ft and energy at 136, you’re really just bobbing around.

So bottom line: Friday the 28th morning is your best bet, Saturday’s a decent backup, and then you’ve got a long stretch of flat to small conditions. Hang tight, it’ll come back around.

Rusty.

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