Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me have a look at what we’ve got for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim stretch for paddle surfing around here. The only break that’s on the radar is Fort Fisher, and honestly, it’s not giving us much to work with.

Right now, and for the bulk of the next 16 days, the swell is tiny and the conditions are just not cooperating. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions with barely any energy in the water. From Sunday the 23rd of August all the way through to the end of the month, the waves are miniscule, mostly around 0.7ft to 1ft, and the wind is often cross-off or cross-shore. It’s clean, but there’s just nothing to ride. The combined energy is weak, typically in the 20s (22–33), which is essentially flat. It’s a big gap of no real surf.

Things perk up just a tiny bit at the very start of September. On Monday the 31st of August, we get a 0.7ft swell from the ESE with a really long period of 18 seconds. That’s a groundswell, but it’s so small it’s barely surfable. The energy is still weak, only 54. And the wind is light offshore, so it’s clean, but it’s just tiny. The following morning, Tuesday the 1st of September, there’s a slight improvement. A 2ft swell from the SE with a 15-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 146 (moderate). The wind is WSW at 15 km/h, which is offshore. That’s the best-looking window in the whole forecast. The water temperature is hovering around 85°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s comfortable.

But even then, it’s not firing. Wednesday the 2nd of September morning looks glassy with a 2ft swell from the SE and a 12-second period, energy at 191. That’s the most consistent energy we see, but it’s still very small. After that, it drops off again. The wind turns onshore and lumpy by the weekend, and the swell stays small.

The one standout, if you can even call it that, is the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September. The swell is still small at 2ft, coming from the SE, which is close to the optimum direction for Fort Fisher (NE). The period is a long 15 seconds, so it’ll have some shape, but it’s a beach and reef setup, so that long period might make it a bit straight. Crowds are possible here, as it’s often busy. If you’re desperate, that’s your window. For beginners, anything over 5ft is too big, and we never get near that, so it’s safe but unexciting. For experts, this is junk.

For the rest of the time, the wind is either cross-off or onshore, and the swell energy is pathetic. It’s more of a kite-surfing window than a paddle-surfing one, given the clean but tiny waves and the occasional cross-shore breeze.

Hang in there, and keep an eye on the forecasts – sometimes it turns around quick.

- Rusty

Read more