Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – I’ve looked over the next 16 days for Fort Fisher, and honestly, it’s a tough one. There’s no real swell to speak of for the entire period. The first recommendation doesn’t pop up until Tuesday, August 4th, but even then, it’s nothing to get excited about.

We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions. The combined wave energy is weak, stuck in the double digits for most of the run, with the highest reading hitting just 91 (weak energy) on Saturday morning, August 8th. The swell is tiny, mostly from the SE or ESE, with short periods between 5 and 9 seconds. That’s windswell, not groundswell – it’s going to be weak and crumbly. The water temp is sitting at 83°F, which is about average for the time of year, with no real anomaly to speak of.

The wind is the real killer here. For the first week, it’s mostly cross-off or cross-shore from the SSW or S, blowing at 9 to 19 mph. That’s gonna put a lot of chop on the surface.

Tuesday, August 4th, is the first day we see any surf, but it’s only 2ft from the ESE with a 7-second period. The wind is cross-off in the morning, but the quality is just poor. The combined energy is a measly 36. That’s not a session.

Wednesday, August 5th, the morning bumps up to 3ft from the SE, but with a 6-second period, it’s just a messy, choppy windswell. The energy hits 68, still weak. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not going to be clean.

The rest of the first week and into the second week is a whole lot of nothing. We’re talking 1ft to 3ft surf with poor conditions. The wind stays in the cross-off or cross-shore zone, with occasional light offshore breezes from the WNW on Thursday, August 13th, and Friday, August 14th, but there’s barely any swell to clean up.

The most promising morning looks to be Saturday, August 15th, with a light offshore wind from the W at 6 mph, but the swell is only 1ft from the SE. You’d be sitting on your board waiting for a ripple. The same goes for Thursday, August 13th, with a WNW offshore wind, but again, just 1ft.

For a break like Fort Fisher, which is a beach and reef setup and inconsistent, this kind of flat run is pretty normal. It’s a spot that needs a proper push from the NE to get going, and we’re just not seeing it. This setup is honestly more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the consistent cross-off and cross-shore winds with very little wave energy.

Bottom line: don’t bother. The forecasts can change, but right now, there’s nothing on the table worth paddling out for.

Rusty.

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