Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what we’ve got coming up for Fort Fisher. I gotta be straight with you – this isn't one of those classic forecasts where you're circling dates on the calendar. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and quiet, so we’re in for a long wait.

Let's break it down. The entire forecast period kicks off with nothing but poor surf conditions. We’ve got a solid gap from the start of this outlook right through to the morning of August 13th where there’s just no real surf to speak of. That’s over two weeks of small, weak, and unimpressive energy. You’ll see tiny waves – 1 ft at best in the beginning – with swell periods barely cracking 8 seconds. The combined swell energy is pitiful, rarely breaking into double digits (like 12, 15, or 2). It’s mostly onshore or cross-shore winds messing things up, and even when we get clean conditions, there’s just no power behind it.

Don’t get too excited about the mid-week around July 31st to August 1st either. We get a little bump in wind, but the swell is still tiny (0.7 ft to 1 ft) and the period is short. The energy numbers climb a bit – hitting 21 and 39 – but it's all very weak and choppy. That cross-onshore wind on August 1st at 15 to 19 mph is going to make it pretty lumpy. Honestly, with those conditions and the beach-and-reef setup, you might be better off thinking about kite surfing than trying to paddle out on a log.

The wait continues through the first week of August. There are glimpses of glassy conditions on the morning and afternoon of August 5th, with zero wind, but the swell is still only 2 ft and the period is a short 7 seconds. The energy is weak (31-37). It’s clean, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. The same story runs through until the 8th and 9th, with more onshore junk and a stormy looking weekend.

The Standout (but it’s a long way off)

Alright, here’s the only real glimmer of hope in this whole run. It's way out there, so treat it as promising but not locked in. On Thursday morning, August 13th, things finally look like they might come together. We’ve got clean, glassy conditions with a light NNW breeze. The swell is coming from the east-northeast at 2 ft, with a period of 7 seconds. The real story here is the combined energy, which finally gets into a more interesting zone at 96 – it's just shy of that moderate threshold, but it’s the most juice we’ve seen in weeks. The break at Fort Fisher is a beach and reef setup, and while the period is short, the clean glass is a massive positive. This is the only day in the entire forecast where we might see some surfable waves, but it's still very marginal. For a beginner, the 2 ft is fine, but the short period won't give it much push. For anyone else, it's a paddle and a prayer.

So, there you have it. A whole lot of nothing, with one distant, glassy possibility on the 13th. It’s a quiet spell, but that can change quickly around here.

- Rusty

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