Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's look at what we've got on the cards for the next couple of weeks at Fortress. We'll call it as it is.

To be straight with you, this outlook is a tough one. We're looking at a solid 16-day stretch, but the honest truth is there’s nothing good on offer for surfers here. It's a long, flat spell ahead with no real swell energy to speak of. The very first record we see is for Friday the 4th of September, and it's already a write-off.

We kick off on Friday the 4th with tiny 1ft swell from the ESE at a short 8 seconds. The combined energy is a weak 40. The wind is cross-off at 6 mph, but the waves are just too poor to get excited about. That same small, weak pattern holds right through the weekend. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th offer nothing but 1.0ft to 2ft of slop—periods are short, and the energy readings are mostly in the 20s and low 40s. It’s flat, plain and simple.

Monday the 7th sees a slight lift in period to 11 seconds, but it’s still only 2ft of swell. The morning is clean with a cross-off breeze, but the wave comment says it all: "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." Not worth rushing out for. That tiny energy of 68 backs that up.

The only real pulse in the whole period hits on Thursday the 10th of September. The swell jumps to 5ft to 6ft from the SSW, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy climbs into the moderate range at 231 and 299. But look closer—that southerly swell is coming from the complete opposite direction to what Fortress likes. The optimum swell direction here is SE, so this SSW swell isn't wrapping in well. Plus, it’s a short-period windswell, and the wind is howling a fresh breeze at 22 mph, making for a raw, blown-out day. It’s no good for a paddle; this setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surf. By Friday the 11th, it’s gone again, dropping to 3ft and fading fast.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Saturday the 12th through to Saturday the 19th of September, we’re looking at tiny waves—mostly under 3ft—with energy readings mostly below 100. There's a small bump on the 13th with 4ft from the ENE, but it’s onshore wind and a 6-second period, so it's messy. Even the final day on the 19th shows 4ft from the ESE with a fresh 19 mph offshore wind, but the energy is still only 122, and it's a 6-second period swell.

Honestly, for a spot that’s fairly consistent, it’s a painful stretch. Fortress is a reef break that needs that SE swell to light up, and it just isn’t happening. Nothing here peaks above a rating worth a mention. You’re better off waiting for the next system to roll through. Forecasts change, but this window is a write-off.

Stay patient.

Rusty

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