Surfing in Manly

Manly is a unique surf destination. It has a vibe about it that has its own community. People in Manly have their own unique style and way of living. It’s like living in a surfing community bubble in the middle of one of the globes major cities. Attracting tourists and weekend warriors alike. If you’re lucky enough to live here you have the city on your doorstep with a short 18-minute fast ferry and the beach right out side your door. The lifestyle is all about surf culture and enjoying Manly’s rich culture. Enjoy the many restaurants and bars and the buzzing nightlife. Wake up for a surf early and be in the city by 9 am making this a must for any surfer with an eye on their career.

4 defined surf areas

The first beach north of Sydney Harbour is Manly, Manly Beach can be broken down into 4 distinct areas; Manly spans from the southern most waste pipe to the very south end where the surf club is.

South Steyne which can have epic left and right barrels in E and NE swells goes North from the waste pipe up to Carlton Street. North Steyne is the cream of the crop, it loves a swell with E and really turns on in NE swells, on good days if the sand is right it can hold 6-8 foot with ease. North Steyne starts North of Carlton Street to just North of the surf club in front on Pine Street.

North of North Steyne the beach becomes Queenscliff spanning from North of the surf club right up next to the cliffs. This beach is more exposed to south swells and can serve up a mixed bag of goodies depending on the banks.

The whole stretch is usually a little smaller than other beaches on the Northern Beaches of Sydney in Southerly swells but this group of banks usually has a better shape than other beaches making it a dependable daily option for surfing waves form 2-8 foot.

Parking can be a challenge (and expensive) below the row of beautiful Norfolk Island pines.

Expect a switched on crew in the surf. The pre dawn session can be intense with the pre work crew battling for their share of the waves before leaving for work. When it turns on surfers seem to come out from all everywhere almost on queue. Todays surf forecasting and the combo of a few thousand surfers all living in within close proximity to the beach always means there’s more than a few eyes on the conditions.