The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s look at what The Fort has in store over the next couple weeks.

Honestly, it’s a rough patch. The Fort is a consistent reef break that likes swell from the SW, but this whole 16-day stretch is a struggle. The swell is small, and the wind just won’t cooperate.

We kick off Tuesday afternoon, August 18th, with a tiny 2ft SSW groundswell, period a long 16 seconds—classic long-period stuff, but it’s weak, with combined energy of only 352. The wind is a cross-shore from the WNW at 9 mph, and it’s just not clean. Water temp is 60°F, pretty normal for this time of year.

Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th aren’t any better. A bit more energy mid-week—up to 429 on the 20th morning with a short-period 4ft WNW windswell at 7 seconds, but the wind picks up to 16 mph cross-shore, and it’s choppy and messy. Not a day you paddle out for fun.

From the 21st through the 24th, the swell drops off. Most sessions show poor surf—cross or cross-onshore wind. Even when the wind is light, the swell is tiny—1ft to 2ft—and the period is all over the place. A few sessions on the 24th and 25th get a score of 1 out of 10, meaning marginal surf or tide issues. Energy is moderate, around 262 to 293, but the wave shape just isn’t there.

We get a little spike on the morning of the 26th of August—swell hits 4ft from the WNW again, period a short 8 seconds, energy up to 446—but the wind is cross-onshore and the waves are choppy. Still not clean. That pattern sticks: through the end of August and into September, we see similar small SW groundswells (1ft to 3ft, 13 to 17 second periods) but the wind is always cross or cross-onshore, often moderate to fresh (up to 19 mph). By the 29th and 30th, the energy climbs back over 500, but with a fresh cross-shore wind and lumpy seas, it’s just not worth it for a paddle surfer. Honestly, with that wind and small, lumpy swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddling.

The only possible standout window is the morning of the 30th of August, with light cross-onshore wind and a 3ft SW groundswell at 16 seconds, energy at 405—marginal, but it’s the closest we get to clean. Still, not a standout I’d get excited about.

It’s a long dry spell from start to finish, with no real improvement until the end of the forecast, and even then, it’s still small and windy. The Fort is consistent, but this run is a blank one. Don’t hold your breath—sometimes the ocean just takes a nap.

Forecasts can change, though.

Rusty.

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