Fortunes Rocks Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be real about Fortunes Rocks Beach for the next couple of weeks. The short story is, we’ve got a long, quiet stretch ahead. The forecast shows a lot of nothing for the first week and a half, with only a tiny glimmer of something half-decent way out in the second week.

Right now, and for the first nine days, the surf is flat and weak. The combined swell energy is barely registering, with values like 33 (weak) and dropping as low as 5 (weak). We’re looking at knee-high dribble at best, with swell heights around 1.0ft to 2ft and short, weak periods of 5 to 7 seconds. A few mornings glass off, like Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th, but there’s nothing to ride. It’s a total bust. The wind swings around but the main problem is the total lack of any real swell. The water temp is about 64°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, but you won’t be needing your wetsuit for anything more than a paddle.

As we get into the second week, around Monday the 17th of August, there’s a bit of a pulse. The swell finally bumps up to 5ft from the SE, with a combined energy of 195 (moderate). That’s the biggest we see in the whole window. The wind is light cross-shore, so it’s not blown out, but the period is only 7 seconds – that’s a short-period wind swell, not a clean groundswell. It’s gonna be a bit messy. Tuesday morning the 18th is probably the best shot, with clean, glassy conditions and a 3ft SSE swell, but again, the energy is moderate (169) and the period is short. It’ll be surfable for the intermediates, but nothing to write home about. The rest of the week after that fades back into the doldrums.

So, the one true standout, if you can call it that, is likely the morning of Monday the 17th of August. That’s the biggest push of swell we get, but it’s not a classic. It’s a beach break setup here at Fortunes, exposed to the E, so with that short period, expect lumpy, close-outy waves. It’s not beginner-friendly at 5ft either. This is really one for the patient, experienced locals. The crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, but on a day like that, it should be manageable.

Bottom line: the next week and a half is a write-off. Save your wax. That little bump around the 17th is the only thing on the radar, and even that is pretty ordinary.
Rusty

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