Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, checkin' in. Let's have a look at what's cookin' on the reef.

Honestly, the next two weeks are a bit of a mixed bag for Fortress. We've got a real slow start, with nothing much on offer for the first few days. The swell is tiny and the wind is just not playin' ball. The standout window is gonna be around Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd of July, but even that comes with a big fat caveat.

Fortress is a reef break, exposed to a southerly swell, and it's fairly consistent. For a beginner spot, it's been a real struggle. The water's sitting at 69°F which is about normal for this time of year. The first few days, from Saturday the 18th right through to Tuesday the 21st, are just a write-off. We're looking at tiny, weak swell, mostly under 3ft, with a short period of 5-7 seconds. The wind is a mess, swinging from a strong cross-shore to a lumpy onshore, making it proper choppy. The combined wave energy is barely a whisper, with readings like 75 and 51. It's just not worth paddling out.

Now, things get a bit more interesting around Wednesday the 22nd of July. We get a pulse of southerly swell, pushing 7ft, with a period of 9 seconds. That's a decent step up, and the combined energy jumps into the strong range (645 and 686). The wind is a cross-offshore, so the face will be reasonably clean. But here's the catch: at 7ft, this is starting to get a bit too big for the beginners this break is suited for, and the "marginal surf forecast" flag suggests the tide or conditions might be a bit tricky. It's a session for the more experienced crew.

Thursday the 23rd of July morning is probably the best of the bunch. The swell is still solid at 6ft from the south, period of 9 seconds, with strong energy (516). The wind is light and cross-shore from the NNE, which is a nice change. It'll be a bit lumpy, but it's our best shot at something rideable. The afternoon sees the wind swing back onshore, so the morning is the window.

After that, we're back to the doldrums. From Friday the 24th right through to the end of the period on the 2nd of August, the swell drops right back to ankle-snappers, with period under 8 seconds and energy levels tanking. The wind is a constant battle onshore or cross-onshore, creating nothing but chop. There's a brief moment on the 30th of July with glassy conditions, but the swell is a weak 3ft from ENE with a pathetic 4-second period. It's just not gonna do anything.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a washout, the middle of the second week (22nd-23rd July) has a pulse of clean, albeit large, swell for the advanced guys, and the rest is a flat, choppy bust. If you're a beginner, maybe give it a miss. If you're experienced and want a window, the morning of Thursday the 23rd is your best bet.

- Rusty

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