Raglan-Manu Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's break down what's on the cards for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next couple of weeks.

First up, we are looking at a classic setup. The forecast is suggesting a solid run of groundswell, with the direction hitting that optimum southwest angle that this point was made for. The water temperature is sitting average for this time of year, so a good wetsuit is your friend.

The early part of the week is a bit of a write-off. Wednesday the 15th through to Saturday the 18th, the wind is a problem. We’ve got a decent 7ft to 7ft W/SW swell pushing through, but the wind is cross or cross-on, and the combined energy readings (2253, 3258) are showing a lot of power that’s just getting chopped up. The reports are calling it marginal, and honestly, for a point like this, you want it glassy. The period is a very long 16-17 seconds, which is incredible for shape, but the wind is ruining the party. It’s a frustrating wait.

The standout window opens on Sunday the 19th. That’s the one. The morning is looking perfect with a light offshore breeze from the SE (5 km/h). The swell is still a meaty 6ft from the WSW with a long 17-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 2087. This is what we live for – clean, lined-up Manu Bay. The afternoon holds up too with a light cross-offshore breeze. It’s big enough at 6ft that it’s for your experienced surfers, and you can expect a crowd given the quality.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st will still be fun with the swell easing from 5ft down to 4ft, and the wind holding clean. Tuesday afternoon is actually glassy with a 4ft WSW swell, which will be perfect for a longer board.

The middle of the week from the 22nd to the 24th sees the swell drop right off to under 3ft. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

Then, a second pulse arrives. The weekend of the 26th and 27th of July is looking like a real gem. Sunday the 26th is a standout morning with a fresh 7ft WSW swell, a 16-second period, and a clean cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is pumping at 2407. The afternoon goes glassy. Monday the 27th is also very good with a cleaner 5ft swell.

The real treat, however, looks to be Wednesday the 29th of July. The morning has a clean 7ft swell from the WSW with a perfect cross-offshore wind. The period is a solid 12 seconds, but the energy reading is 1489, and the report says it’s excellent. The afternoon builds even more to 8ft from the same direction. This is another serious day for the experienced crew. The swell is a bit shorter period than the previous week, but the conditions are just so much cleaner. The 30th of July keeps the quality going with a 7ft swell.

Rusty out.

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