Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty.

Honestly, mate, the next 16 days look like a real mixed bag, and we’ve got a bit of a slow start to get through. The first real action that’s worth paddling out for shows up on the morning of Tuesday the 11th, but before that, it’s a flat, quiet stretch.

We kick things off on Tuesday the 11th with a morning session at Manly. Swell is a clean 4ft from the SSW at 7 seconds, so it’s a short-period, wind-affected swell. The wind is cross-offshore from the W at 12 mph, which should keep the surface tidy. The combined wave energy is moderate at 201. The water is sitting at 62°, which is a bit colder than average for this time of year, so don’t forget the booties. The morning gets a score of zero out of ten, but honestly, the wind is good and it’s the first wave of the window. The afternoon picks up a bit more energy: 6ft from the S at 11 seconds, with a light WNW breeze at 6 mph. That’s a better swell, with a longer period, and the energy jumps way up to 794. This is the standout of the first few days, with a score of 2 out of 10. It’s not going to be pumping, but it’s the best you’ll get.

Wednesday the 12th is a bit of a letdown. The morning offers 4ft from the S at 10 seconds, with a cross-off W wind at 9 mph. Clean, but ordinary. The afternoon sees the drop to 3ft from the S, but the wind swings to a clean offshore from the WSW at 12 mph. The energy is down to 216. It’s rideable, but nothing to write home about.

Thursday the 13th, the morning has a 4ft SSW swell with a gentle offshore SW wind at 9 mph. The energy is moderate at 361. The afternoon brings a bigger 6ft from the S at 8 seconds, but the wind switches to a messy cross-shore from the SE at 9 mph, creating a bit of chop. The energy is high at 708, but the quality drops.

Friday the 14th is a dud. The morning has 4ft from the S at 8 seconds with a light cross-off W wind, but the energy is weak at 208. The afternoon gets worse with a cross-shore SE wind at 9 mph and poor surf.

From Saturday the 15th all the way through to Monday the 24th of August, it’s a long, bleak stretch. The wind is constantly onshore, cross-shore, or just too strong. The swell is inconsistent, and the quality is poor. There are a few spikes in size, like Saturday the 15th with 6ft from the S, but the wind is 19 mph from the S, making it a messy, blown-out mess. The combined energy is moderate, but it’s not worth the paddle. This is a full week of bad conditions.

We finally get a glimmer of hope on Wednesday the 19th of August. The morning at Manly offers a 3ft swell from the ESE, but the period is a very long 12 seconds. This is a groundswell, and the energy is surprisingly high at 410. The wind is light from the SSE at 6 mph, keeping it clean. This is a score of 2 out of 10, and it’s the best we’ve seen in a week. It’s a small wave, but that long period and light wind will make for some clean, fun lines.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. The rest of the forecast is a mix of onshore winds, poor conditions, and weak energy. The morning of Wednesday the 26th of August is the only other bright spot: a 4ft ENE swell, but the wind is glassy, calm at 0 mph. The energy is 208. The glassy conditions will make it look tempting, but it’s a tiny, ordinary wave.

Overall, the best bet is the Tuesday afternoon on the 11th with that 6ft S swell, and the Wednesday morning on the 19th with the long period groundswell. For everything else, save your energy.

Rusty.

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