Raglan-Manu Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at the surf ahead for Manu Bay over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming, with a standout weekend and a couple of other beauties further out. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year – nothing unusual there.

The first real action kicks off Saturday, July 11. Manu Bay is a classic point break, and it’s setting up nicely. Saturday morning sees a clean 5ft swell from the WSW with a long 15-second period, light cross-off breeze from the east, and the wave energy is pumping (1073). That’s a very good session on the cards. Saturday afternoon holds at 4ft, still clean, still cross-off, still that long period. Sunday morning bumps up to 5ft, same direction, 16-second period – real groundswell – and the wind is light cross-off again. The energy is up there (1082). But the absolute standout is Sunday afternoon, July 12: the swell drops slightly to 5ft, but the wind goes glassy, dead calm from the NNE. That’s as clean as it gets. The period is 16 seconds, and the energy is still strong (914). This is the pick of the early part, no question – point break perfection.

Monday, July 13, the swell drops to 4ft, still clean, but the energy is weaker (478). Still good fun, but the glassy perfection is gone. By Monday afternoon it gets a bit choppy, and Tuesday sees a shift: a shorter period WNW swell (8 seconds) at 6ft, but the wind is cross, and it’s marginal. Not great.

Wednesday, July 15, the swell picks up again – 5ft from the west, 12-second period, with light cross wind. The energy jumps way up (1431), but the wind is cross, so it’s a bit messy. Wednesday afternoon gets bigger: 8ft from the west, 16-second period, huge energy (3010)! That’s a serious swell, but the wind is cross-on, so it’s lumpy. That’s only for experienced surfers at that size, and the wind is not ideal.

Thursday and Friday, July 16-17, the swell stays solid (8ft, then 6ft) but the wind is mixed – onshore at times, cross at others. The energy is still high, but the quality is marginal. Saturday, July 18, the wind picks up to a moderate breeze, and the swell is 8ft with a short 8-second period – that’s choppy and not great for a point break. The afternoon improves a bit with cross-off wind, but it’s still not the best.

Now, here’s the next standout: Sunday, July 19. The morning is a cracker – 8ft from the WSW, 17-second period, very long period groundswell, with light cross-off wind from the east. The energy is massive (3416). This is for experienced surfers only, but the conditions are clean. The afternoon is also excellent: 7ft, 16-second period, cross-off, calm wind. That’s a real treat.

Monday, July 20, the swell drops to 5ft, but it’s clean and cross-off – very good conditions. Tuesday, July 21, is smaller at 4ft, but the wind is moderate offshore from the ESE, so it’s clean and glassy. That’s a fun, smaller day.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Wednesday, July 22, right through to Friday, July 24, the swell drops to less than 3ft, and the energy is weak (down to 61). That’s a gap of three days with no real surf.

But then Saturday, July 25, the swell returns with a bang: 5ft, 16-second period, cross-off wind, and energy of 1500. That’s excellent for experienced surfers, and it’s clean. Sunday, July 26, holds at 6ft, 16-second period, but the wind goes cross and moderate, so it’s a bit choppy. Still, there’s plenty of energy.

So, the best on offer: Sunday afternoon, July 12, with glassy conditions and a solid 5ft groundswell at Manu Bay. Second best: Sunday morning, July 19, with that big 8ft, 17-second swell and clean cross-off wind. Get out there.

Rusty.

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