The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be honest, it’s a tough stretch ahead at The Fort. This is a consistent reef break, intermediate-level, exposed to swell from the SW, and it likes a clean offshore from the NE – but we aren’t getting that much. The combo of cross-shore and cross-onshore winds is going to mess with things for most of the period. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on there.

We start on Thursday 27 August and there’s nothing to get excited about. Cross-chop is the story, with swell around 2ft from the S and period at 12 seconds – wave energy is weak (255). It’s a write-off. Friday 28 August has a little pulse from the SW with a 17-second period, which is a long-period groundswell, and combined energy climbs to moderate (591), but the cross-shore wind and chop keep surf quality poor. The swell is still small at 2ft.

Saturday 29 August morning sees that long-period SW swell at 3ft and 18 seconds, with energy reading strong (1016). That’s proper groundswell, but it’s getting hammered by a fresh cross-shore breeze. The Fort is a reef, so it can handle the long period better than a beach, but the wind is the killer. Saturday afternoon gets worse.

Sunday 30 August has a bit of a lighter breeze in the morning – 10 km/h cross-onshore – and 3ft SW swell at 16 seconds, but the wave energy has dropped back to moderate (598). Still, it’s marginal.

Monday 31 August morning is the first real flicker of hope. We get a 5 km/h onshore wind from the WSW, with 3ft of SSW swell at 14 seconds. The wind is light enough that it might clean up a bit, but it’s onshore. Energy is moderate (360). Not a standout, just the best of a poor bunch so far.

The next week drags on with mostly light to moderate cross-winds and small SW swell. There’s a notable window on Monday 7 September morning – the 7th of September, mark it. We get glassy conditions, a 5 km/h SW breeze turning it to glass, with 4ft of SW swell at 14 seconds. Combined energy is moderate (477). Finally, some clean conditions. The swell direction is bang on for the break’s optimum SW, and the glassy wind makes this the best session on offer. It’s the only time we see clean, glassy surf. The swell is a touch small at 4ft, but for a reef that handles the 14-second period, it’ll be rideable and tidy.

After that, it’s back to cross-shore winds and lumpy waves through to the end of the forecast. Wednesday 9 September morning has another light onshore and a bigger long-period SW swell (3ft, 18 seconds, energy 706 – moderate-strong), but the onshore wind will put a ripple on it.

If you want the one to aim for, it’s that Monday 7 September morning. Clean, glassy, and a consistent SW groundswell. Everything else is a battle with the wind. The Fort can be fun when it comes together, but this run is a grind.

Rusty.

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