Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

First up, this stretch we’re looking at is pretty grim, to be honest. There’s almost nothing on the cards that’s gonna get the heart racing. The only window that even remotely stands out is around the 25th, and even that’s ordinary at best. We’ve got a lot of small, weak surf with messy winds, and a whole lot of “poor surf conditions” stamped across the forecast.

The first few days – starting this Sunday the 13th – are just tiny. We’re talking 1ft of short-period SE swell at Fortress, with a light cross-offshore breeze. It’s clean, but it’s gutless. The kind of day where you’re just scratching for ankle-biters. Combined energy is only 76, which is weak. Water temp is 69°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Monday and Tuesday are even worse, with the swell dropping and winds getting messy – cross-on and choppy. Nothing to even bother suiting up for. We’re in a real flat spell here, and it’s gonna stretch on for days.

The swell starts to pick up a little from the 21st, but the wind is all over the place. We see some moderate energy (131, then 220 on the 21st afternoon), but that bigger pulse is accompanied by cross-on winds and lumpy conditions. Bad timing. The 22nd is a write-off, with strong winds and messy seas. And by the 23rd we’ve got 5ft to 5ft of short-period ENE swell, but it’s gonna be a washing machine – fresh cross-shore winds and a lumpy chop. No good for a paddle board, that’s for sure.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting for the experts. The 24th has some size – 4ft – and clean conditions with a cross-offshore breeze, but the quality is still poor. Weak energy from a short period. The real bright spot, if you can call it that, is the 25th. Friday morning sees offshore winds, 3ft of ESE swell, and clean conditions. It’s not big, but it’s the best we’ve got. Combined energy is 137, moderate. This is the standout, but it’s still ordinary. A beginner might enjoy it, but anyone with experience will be left wanting more.

After that, it fades back out quickly. The 26th has some clean offshore wind in the morning but the swell is dropping. And then it’s back to tiny and weak for the rest of the period.

So, bottom line: this is one of those long, flat stretches that can test your patience. The only day worth even a look is the 25th, and even then, keep your expectations low. We’re not seeing any proper groundswell – everything is short-period and weak. The long-range stuff is a long way off and not worth pinning your hopes on. It’s been grim, and it’s gonna stay grim for a while.

Rusty

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