Fortress Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, your local surf reporter. We’ve got a 16-day window ahead, but I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—this one’s a long, slow grind. The first week is mostly a write-off, with tiny, weak swell and poor surf conditions. There’s a big gap of nothing worthwhile until we finally get a couple of windows that might be worth the paddle. Stay patient.

Alright, let’s start with the region. The only break on the cards is Fortress, a reef setup. The water temperature is sitting at 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year—about 2° cooler than the long-term average, so you’ll be wanting a decent spring suit.

From Tuesday, July 14th, right through to Sunday, July 19th, it’s pretty grim. Swell is tiny, mostly 1.0 ft to 3 ft, with short periods between 5 and 9 seconds. The combined energy is weak, sitting in the double digits (12 to 81), and the wind is all over the place—cross-off, cross, and onshore. The wave comment screams “poor surf conditions” every single day. Nothing to see here, folks.

Now, Monday, July 20th, we get a slight glimmer. Morning glass-off with light wind from the NW, and a 3 ft south swell at 8 seconds. Combined energy bumps up to 143—still moderate, but the glassy conditions make it clean. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore, but the morning window is your best bet here. It’s surfable, but very ordinary, so don’t expect fireworks.

The real standout comes on Wednesday, July 22nd. The morning is clear, with a solid offshore wind from the WNW at 12 mph, and the swell jumps to 5 ft from the south at 9 seconds. Combined energy hits 380 (moderate, but building). The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” and for a reef, that 9-second period and offshore wind will produce clean, lined-up waves. This is the best on offer, but note that 5 ft on a reef can be a bit much for beginners—it’s more of a fun size for intermediates onwards. The afternoon stays clean but gets a bit bigger at 6 ft, though the wind swings cross-off, so still decent.

Then, Thursday, July 23rd, morning is a rare gem. Absolutely glassy with no wind, and a 4 ft south-southeast swell at 8 seconds. Combined energy is 207 (moderate). The wave comment again says “expect good surf conditions.” Light offshore from the NE and glassy conditions mean this will be silky smooth. That’s your second standout window—small, clean, and perfect for a reedier break.

After that, we’re back to the doldrums from Friday, July 24th, through to Wednesday, July 29th. Swell drops, winds shift onshore or cross-on, and the combined energy fluctuates but mostly stays weak. The wave comments are all “poor surf conditions” or “surfable but very ordinary.” There’s no real reason to paddle out in that chop.

One last flicker on Monday, July 27th, morning: a 5 ft swell from the south-southwest at 6 seconds, with light offshore wind from the WNW. Combined energy is 226 (moderate), and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” But that 6-second period is short and windswell—it’ll be a bit lumpy and less powerful than the 22nd or 23rd. Still, if you’re desperate, it’s a clean option with a light breeze.

Overall, the two standouts are Wednesday, July 22nd, morning, and Thursday, July 23rd, morning. The 22nd has the biggest, cleanest swell (5 ft south, offshore), and the 23rd is glassy perfection (4 ft SSE, no wind). For the rest of the 16 days, you’re waiting for the next swell pulse. It’s one of those quiet runs for the area, but forecasts can change, so keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty, signing off.

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