Rabbit/Manana Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks at Rabbit/Manana Island. It’s a mixed bag, and I’ll be honest—there’s no absolute classic in the window, but we’ve got a small window that might just be worth a paddle.

The first real shot at anything decent doesn’t show up until Monday, September 7th. Before that, it’s a total washout. Friday and Saturday are a mess with strong cross-onshore winds at 18-25 mph, making the surf poor and lumpy. Sunday the 6th is still marginal, with a cross-shore wind and cross-chop, but the energy is there—moderate at 1246 to 1200—so it’s not hopeless, just not clean.

Now, Monday the 7th is where we start to see a glimmer. The wind swings cross-offshore from the ESE at 12 mph in the morning, and the swell is a solid 8 ft from ENE with a 12-second period. The energy jumps to strong at 2025. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no need to worry about an extra rashie. The waves will be clean, but that 8 ft size is pushing into expert territory—this is not one for the learners. The break is fairly consistent, and with the wind light and clean, it’s the best on offer in the whole run. Tuesday the 8th keeps the good vibes going—morning shows offshore wind from the S at 15 mph, dropping to a gentle 9 mph in the afternoon. The swell drops to 5 ft with a 10-second period, but the energy is moderate at 608, and the surface is glassy. This is the pick of the week: clean, fun, and manageable for intermediate surfers. Crowds are possible at Rabbit/Manana Island, so get in early.

After that, it’s a long, frustrating gap. From Wednesday the 9th all the way through to Saturday the 19th, the wind is mostly cross-onshore or cross-shore, the swell is either too small or too messy, and the scores are flat. The energy dips to weak (145) by the 18th, and the periods drop to 8 seconds or less—short, weak windswell. There’s a few days in the second week where the swell pushes 7 ft to 7 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore at 18-25 mph, just creating lumpy, blown-out conditions. Not worth the drive.

So, bottom line: if you’re keen, pencil in Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th. The 8th afternoon is the real gem—gentle offshore, clean, and 5 ft of fun. The rest of the 16 days? You’re better off takin’ a walk on the beach.

Rusty.

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