The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a 16-day window for The Fort, and if I’m being honest, it’s a bit of a grind. The forecast is a long stretch of lumpy, cross-shore chop and marginal conditions. The wind is going to be a problem for most of the period, keeping things messy. There’s no real standout session that’s going to get the heart racing, but let’s walk through the story.

The first surf worth mentioning starts on Wednesday afternoon, July 29th. We’ve got a 3ft SW swell running, but it’s a real tease. The period is a very long 16 seconds, which is groundswell, but the wind is a cross-shore from the NW at 22 mph, creating a lumpy cross-chop. The water is sitting at 55°, which is about half a degree cooler than normal for this time of year, nothing wild. The combined energy is moderate at 873, but the poor conditions make it a tough call. The swell is from the SW, which is the optimum direction for this spot, but the wind just ruins it.

On Thursday morning, July 30th, the swell drops a touch to 3ft from the SSW, with a 12 mph cross-shore wind. The energy is still moderate at 953, but it’s a marginal forecast. The afternoon gets worse again with the wind picking up to 22 mph. This pattern of cross-shore winds and fading swell repeats through Friday and into the weekend. By Friday afternoon, July 31st, a short-period 5ft WNW swell shows up with a period of only 6 seconds, but the wind is fresh and cross-shore, so it’s just a messy, lumpy ocean.

The weekend is a bit of a write-off. Saturday, August 1st, has a 4ft WNW swell in the morning, but the cross-shore wind is 16 mph. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 7ft, and the energy climbs to moderate 691, but the wind is 22 mph. That’s a lot of power for a reef break with a cross-shore breeze, and it’s going to be a washing machine. Sunday morning, August 2nd, sees a 8ft WNW swell with a 9-second period, and the energy is strong at 1319, but again, the wind is cross-shore at 12 mph. The wave comment says marginal, and with that size, it’s getting into expert-only territory if it’s not clean.

Monday, August 3rd, offers a glimmer of hope. The morning has a 4ft WNW swell with a 10-second period, and the wind is a light 6 mph from the west, which is a cross-on direction. The energy is moderate at 386. The afternoon is similar, with a 4ft WNW swell and a gentle 9 mph cross-shore wind. These are the best-looking days of the whole stretch, but it’s still marginal. The waves could be rideable, but don’t expect anything epic.

The rest of the first week into the second week stays quiet. The wind stays mostly light, but the swell is small, often around 1ft to 4ft, and the direction swings around to the WNW. The combined energy drops into the low hundreds, which is weak. The long-range from August 5th onward is a mix of small, weak SW and WNW swells with very long periods up to 18 seconds, but the wind is often cross-on or onshore, keeping things bumpy. The best you can say for the second week is that the swell is there, but it’s small and not clean.

Given the persistent cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions, The Fort is going to be a frustrating watch. The best bet is Monday, August 3rd, for a light wind, waist-to-chest high swell, but it’s far from a standout. If you’re really keen, you might get a few waves, but honestly, this setup looks more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone paddling out. The conditions are just not cooperating.

Rusty, signing off.

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