Fort Fisher Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Fort Fisher.

Honestly, I’m not going to sugarcoat it – this is a tough stretch. The 16-day outlook is looking pretty flat and lifeless. We’ve got a gap of almost two weeks where there’s just nothing worth paddling out for. The consistent message is poor surf conditions, with tiny, weak swell and a lot of cross-off or cross-shore wind. It’s going to be a long wait.

The only flicker of something happening is on Monday, July 13th, in the morning. We finally see a little bump in energy, with a combined wave energy of (78). The swell is coming from the ENE at 3ft, but it’s a short period of 5 seconds, so it’s going to be bumpy and weak. What makes this morning slightly interesting is the wind – it’s offshore from the WNW at 9 mph, which is a light breeze, and the report says "gentle offshore and clean". It’s the only window where the "surfable waves" tag shows up, but even then, the conditions are described as "very ordinary". This is a beach and reef setup, not particularly exposed, and the optimum swell direction is NE, so the direction is close but not perfect.

For a beginner, this swell is well under 5ft, so it’s not too big. But the short period means the waves will be soft and gutless. It’s a last resort kind of session. Crowds are often a problem here, so you might have company even on this small stuff.

The rest of the forecast is a write-off. Tiny swells, mostly under 2ft, with the combined energy often dropping into the single digits or low tens. The wind is consistently messy, with cross-off breezes from the SW or S kicking up a chop. Even when the wind is light, there’s just no wave energy to work with. It’s a proper dry spell. For a spot that’s fairly exposed, this is a real lull. It’s the kind of pattern where you just have to take a break and wait for the next system to roll through.

Stay patient, folks. The ocean is taking a nap.

- Rusty

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