Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – this is a tough one. We're looking at a 16-day window for Fort Fisher, and honestly, there's nothing that gets me truly fired up. Every single record in the forecast says "poor surf conditions," so we're gonna be watching the ocean flatline for a while.

The first recommendation doesn't even pop up until Monday, September 7th, and even then, it's a tough sell. We kick off that week with a 6ft swell from the east, but it's a short, snappy period of just 6 seconds, and the wind is hammering onshore at 22 mph. The combined energy is a moderate 225, but the wind is just going to wreck any chance of a clean wave. It's a beach and reef setup, so with that kind of wind and chop, this is looking more like a kite-surfing zone than a paddle-out. The water temp is sitting at 83°, which is about a degree and a half warmer than normal for this time of year, not a huge deal, but you'll be sweating in the lineup if there were any waves.

Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th don't offer a break. The swell drops a bit to 4ft, but we're still dealing with onshore and cross-onshore winds. The energy is moderate (150 to 252), but it's all for nothing with that wind.

From Thursday the 10th right through to Tuesday the 15th, the swell drops into the 1.0ft to 3ft range. The wind does get a bit better, with some glassy conditions on the 11th and 13th, and even a bit of offshore wind on the 14th. But the wave energy is weak (23 to 60), and a 1ft wave with a 9-second period is just not going to give you a ride. It's a long, flat stretch.

We see a tiny blip on the 20th and 21st of September, with a 3ft swell from the NE and ENE, but the period is a shocking 5 to 6 seconds, and the wind is cross-onshore. The energy is still weak (55 to 64). Not worth paddling for.

The final few days, September 22nd, we get a bit more energy. The swell picks up to 5ft to 5ft from the ENE with a 7-second period. The combined energy moves into the moderate range (198 to 219). But it's still cross-onshore, and the period is short. This is a beach and reef spot, so that short period combined with any wind will just be a bumpy, messy shorebreak. It's not good surf.

The best on offer, if you can call it that, is probably the early morning of Monday, September 14th. The wind switches to a light offshore from the WSW, and the sea is clean. But the swell is tiny at 2ft from the SE with a 9-second period and a weak energy of just 40. It's a glassy, flat ocean. For a beginner, it might be a safe paddle, but for anyone looking for a wave, it's a washout.

Honestly, this is a blank run. With no consistent swell and poor wind for most of it, it's a normal thing for this area. The forecasts can change, but right now, I'd leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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