Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be honest – this is a tough outlook. The only break on the menu is Fortress, and we’re looking at a long, dry spell before anything gets interesting.

The water is sitting at 70°, which is standard for the season.

The first few days are a total loss. From Tuesday the 8th through the end of the first week, it’s flat and tiny. Swell is barely 0.3ft, and the combined energy is a pathetic 4 (weak) on the 8th. The wind is messy, and the conditions are just poor. No point even thinking about it.

There’s a slight bump on Thursday the 10th, with the swell hitting 5ft from the SSW, but it’s a short-period 7-second wind swell with a combined energy of 277 (moderate). The wind is clean cross-off, so it’ll look okay, but the report says “poor surf conditions.” Not worth the drive.

Friday the 11th afternoon offers a tiny glimmer: a light offshore wind from the W and 2ft of S swell. The energy is 71 (weak), and the comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s the best of the first week, but it’s still pretty poor.

Then we hit a huge gap. From the 12th through the 20th of September, it’s flat. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or cross, and there’s nothing to get excited about.

Now, the only real pulse comes in the second week. On Sunday the 20th, the swell climbs to 5ft from the ENE, with a combined energy of 197 (moderate). The morning wind is clean cross-off. Then Monday the 21st shows a bigger push: 7ft from the E, with a combined energy of 336 (moderate). The period is a short 6 seconds, and the wind is cross-on, so it’ll be bumpy.

Tuesday the 22nd morning is the standout. The swell is 7ft from the ESE, with a combined energy of 417 (strong). The wind is a gentle cross-shore from the SSW. The report calls it “marginal,” but this is the biggest energy we see, and the swell is over 5ft. For a reef break, that’s expert territory, but for the crew who can handle it, it’s the only window that looks worth a paddle. The direction is close enough to the optimum SE to work.

After that, it drops off into the 23rd with nothing.

So, the first week is a washout. The second week has a bit of life around the 20th to the 22nd. The true standout is the Tuesday the 22nd morning session, with that 7ft SSE swell and a gentle cross-shore wind. It’s the only time the energy hits the strong range. For the rest, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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