Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Fort Fisher.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty flat and uninspiring. We’re staring down a long stretch of poor surf conditions starting now and running all the way through the morning of Monday, August 31st. That’s over a week of hardly a wave worth paddling for. The swell energy is tiny, barely registering (22 to 51), with heights stuck at a measly 0.7 ft. The periods are short too, mostly 8 to 12 seconds, so it’s just weak, short-period dribble. Winds are mostly cross-off or light, but there’s simply no power in the water to make anything of it.

Then, on Monday afternoon, August 31st, we finally see a flicker of life. The swell energy bumps up to 113, but the wave comment still says “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s still only 1 ft but now from the SE with a long 19-second period. That period is promising for a groundswell, but at a beach and reef setup like Fort Fisher, such long-period swells can tend to close out or break too straight. It’s not a standout, just a hint that things might change.

Tuesday, September 1st, morning shows a bit more hope. Swell edges up to 2 ft from the ESE with a 15-second period and energy at 171. A light north breeze keeps it clean. This is the first session that actually looks worth a look – small, clean, with some decent period behind it. But by the afternoon, it gets messy with a cross-shore chop.

Wednesday, September 2nd, morning is the best bet of the whole outlook. We get 3 ft of swell from the SE with a 12-second period and moderate energy at 354. The wind is light and cross-off from the WSW, so conditions should be clean. This is the standout window. It’s still a small wave, but it’s the biggest and cleanest we’ll see. For an intermediate, this is the one to target. Crowds can be possible here, so you might have some company.

After that, it fades again. Thursday and Friday, September 3rd and 4th, see the swell drop back to 2 ft–3 ft, but the wind turns onshore or cross-on, bringing chop and poor conditions. The energy drops off into the 100s and then below 100 by the weekend. From Saturday, September 5th, onward it’s back to tiny, onshore slop with no power. The final outlook on Monday, September 7th, shows 1 ft with onshore wind – just forget it.

So to wrap it up: a long, flat start, one decent morning on Wednesday, September 2nd, and then a return to poor conditions. No true standout epic sessions, but that Wednesday morning is your best shot for a clean little wave.

Rusty.

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