Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks at Fortress.

To be straight up with you, the outlook is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty ordinary conditions. The pattern is dominated by a mix of small, weak swell and winds that are mostly cross-onshore or onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. The water’s sitting at 68°F, which is a bit colder than you'd expect for this time of year.

For the first week, from Friday the 24th of July right through to the end of the month, it’s pretty grim. The swell is small, mostly under 3ft, and the period is short, around 6 to 8 seconds, so there’s just no energy or shape to the waves. The combined swell energy is weak, and with the wind always blowing from the wrong direction, it’s a write-off. There’s a glimmer of hope on Monday the 27th morning with glassy conditions, but the swell is only 2ft and the energy is a paltry 41 – barely a ripple.

The run of poor conditions continues through the first week of August. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd offer nothing but small, choppy slop. The swell starts to pick up a little around Monday the 3rd, hitting 3ft from the south with a 9-second period and moderate energy, but the wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be pretty.

Now, let’s talk about the best of a bad bunch. It’s not much, but there are a couple of moments that might be worth a look if you're desperate. On Tuesday the 4th of August in the morning, we get a clean window. The wind goes light from the northwest, giving us a cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. The swell is 3ft from the SSE with an 8-second period, and the energy is moderate. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Then on Thursday the 6th of August, the morning is glassy once again, with a light southwest wind. The swell is 3ft from the SSW, but the period is a short 5 seconds, so it’s a bit of a bumpy, windswell-type wave. The energy is weak. It’s another “surfable but ordinary” window.

Honestly, there’s no standout session here. The best on offer is the clean windows on the 4th and 6th of August, but even then, the swell is small and unremarkable. The later part of the forecast, around the 8th of August, shows a slightly bigger swell of 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is back onshore, ruining it. For a reef break like Fortress, you need that clean, offshore wind to really make it work, and we just don't get that consistently.

For a break that’s fairly consistent and exposed to the south-east, this is a disappointing run. It’s a reef, so when it’s on, it can be good, but with the wind and small swell, it’s looking more like a kite-surfing setup than a paddling paradise on most days.

Rusty.

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