Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about what’s coming up for Manly over the next couple of weeks.

It’s a slow start, but the wait is worth it. The first few days are pretty ordinary, with small, weak swells and funky winds. Sunday the 6th has some 4ft SSW swell, but it’s blown out by a 15 mph offshore wind, so it’s not going to be much fun. Monday morning the 7th looks a bit better – the swell drops to 5ft from the S, and the wind goes glassy, NNW at 3 mph. That’s a pretty window, but the swell energy is just moderate (304), and the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and weak. Not a standout.

We then hit a solid run of poor conditions from Tuesday afternoon through to the end of the first week. The swell builds, but the wind is all over the shop, and the quality is just not there. The combined energy gets up to moderate (969) and even strong (1079) by Wednesday, but it’s messy.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout is Friday morning, the 11th of September. We’ve got a solid 10ft swell from the S, with a groundswell period of 10 seconds, and the wind is offshore at 6 mph from the WSW. That’s clean, powerful surf. The combined energy is a massive 2814 – that’s strong wave energy, and it’s going to be a ripper for experienced surfers. This is the pick of the first week. The swell is over 8ft, so it’s for experts only. Manly is a point break, so it’ll handle that size well, but expect it to be a bit of a handful.

The next couple of days after that fade a bit, but we get another cracker on the 18th of September. Friday afternoon, the 18th, is the absolute highlight of the whole forecast. We’re looking at a 16ft swell from the S, with a very long period of 13 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The wind is offshore, light at 6 mph from the WNW, and the combined energy is a staggering 15179 – that’s exceptional power. This is world-class, expert-only surf. The swell direction is SSE, which is a good match for the optimum SE direction for Manly. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Saturday morning the 19th will still have a solid 8ft SSE swell with a 12-second period and light offshore wind, so that’ll be a good follow-up session for experienced surfers, but the 18th is the day.

The water temperature is sitting at 64°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a write-off, but Friday the 11th is a solid, expert-level day. The absolute standout is Friday the 18th of September – that’s the one you wait for. Expect epic, powerful waves, but it’s for experts only. If you’re a beginner, give this whole period a miss.

Rusty.

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