Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Imperial

Alright, Manly (Manly), it's a bit of a slow cooker. We're looking at a point break that's pretty sheltered, so it doesn't grab every swell that comes through. The pattern this far out is for a few days of nothing much, then a couple of windows that could get interesting, especially if you're not a beginner.

The water temp is sitting at 63°, which is about normal for this time of year, so don't expect any surprises when you get in.

The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th have some size, but the wind is all wrong. That cross and cross-off wind from the SSE and SE is just mucking it up. The swell energy is moderate at 218 on Saturday, but the surf is poor. Sunday the 19th has a bigger 7ft swell from the ENE, but the period is a long 11 seconds, and with that cross wind, it's marginal at best. The combined energy is strong at 1314, but it's not coming together.

Monday the 20th is the first real sign of life. The morning has a clean 6ft from the ENE with a cross-off wind from the WNW. That's a solid setup. The period is 11 seconds, so there's some push there. The energy is moderate at 885. It's not a world-beater, but the best on offer in the early part of the run. It’s a fairly consistent spot, so it shouldn't be a total washout.

Then we hit a lull. Tuesday the 21st through to Thursday the 23rd morning is all small or junk. The swell drops to 3ft or less, the energy crashes down to 140. It's pretty flat. Thursday afternoon the 23rd, though, things get spicy. A 10ft S swell hits with a 19 mph cross-off wind. That's big. The combined energy is a massive 1522. But at 10ft, that's expert territory, and the wind is going to be a handful. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if you ask me, with that much wind and size.

Friday the 24th morning is a standout. The swell drops to a still-chunky 7ft from the S, but the wind is a light cross-off from the WSW. The period is 10 seconds, and the energy is strong at 941. It's going to be clean and powerful. This is the best bet for the first week.

The weekend of the 26th and 27th is messy again. The swell is from the S, but the wind is onshore or cross, making it poor. The 28th of July has a 22 mph offshore wind, but the swell is all over the place, and the rain won't help.

The real standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is the 1st and 2nd of August. Saturday afternoon the 1st of August has a 10ft swell from the E, with a gentle offshore wind. The combined energy is 1149. That's a very long period swell at 8 seconds, but a 10ft E swell on a point is going to be something special. It's a big, powerful, clean easterly. Then Sunday the 2nd of August morning is even better for the average punter. The swell drops to 8ft from the E, still a very long period of 10 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-off from the W. The energy is 1041. That's going to be a full day of pumping, clean waves. Expect crowds because it's going to be firing.

So, to sum it up, skip the first few days. Monday the 20th is okay, Friday the 24th is solid. But the real winner is the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of August. That's the one.

Rusty.

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