The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for The Fort over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – the first week and a half is a real struggle. The Fort is a reef break that needs a clean, decent swell to work, and for most of this period, it’s just not getting it. The wind is a constant problem, mostly cross or cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. The wave energy is low to moderate, with readings like 248 to 427 (combined energy units) for much of the first few days, and the swell is short-period, around 7 to 8 seconds, so it’s just weak and unorganized. The water temp is sitting at 57°F with a 0.7°F anomaly, so pretty average for this time of year.

The first real glimmer of hope pops up on Saturday morning, July 18th. The swell drops to 2ft from the west, but the period jumps to 16 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The wind is a light breeze from the west, only 6 mph, but it’s cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect. The energy is moderate (552). It’s *marginal*, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The rest of that weekend and into the next week is a write-off: tiny waves, poor wind, and poor surf conditions across the board.

Then, we get to Saturday, July 25th. This is the standout. The morning shows a 3ft swell from the southwest, but here’s the kicker – the period is 21 seconds and the combined energy jumps to 1835 (combined energy units). That’s a strong, long-period groundswell. The wind is still cross from the WNW at 12 mph, so it’s not glassy, but it’s manageable. The wave comment says "marginal", but with that kind of energy and period, The Fort should start to wake up with some proper lines. The swell direction is SW, which is right in the optimum direction for this break. The crowd situation is "sometimes", so you might have a few others in the water, but it won’t be a circus. This is the one to circle on your calendar, but keep in mind, we’re looking at a date over a week away, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

Sunday, July 26th, still has some energy (1159 combined energy units) and a 19-second period, but the wind is a bit stronger and cross, so it won’t be as clean. After that, it fades back into the doldrums with small, weak swell and poor wind right through to the end of the month.

So, the bottom line: there’s a lot of flat, choppy days ahead. The only real window to get excited about is the Saturday morning of July 25th. If you can wait, that’s your best bet. Otherwise, it’s a real test of patience.

Rusty.

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