The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let's talk about The Fort. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty quiet overall, with only a few moments where things might start to line up. Most of the time, the swell is just too small and the wind is messing with the surface. We've got a long stretch of poor to marginal surf ahead.

Starting off, Wednesday the 2nd is a write-off with tiny 2 ft swell from the SW and a cross-on breeze making for messy conditions. Thursday the 3rd morning shows a bit of life with 2 ft SW swell, energy is climbing into the moderate range (670), but a light cross-shore wind leaves it feeling a little jumbled. That afternoon, the period drops to 9 seconds and the size nudges up to 4 ft, but it's still not clean. Friday the 4th through to the 9th is a long stretch of frustratingly small surf, mostly in the 2 ft to 4 ft range. The winds are usually cross-on or cross-shore, keeping things bumpy. There are a few glassy moments, but the swell is just too weak to get excited about.

The one standout in this entire forecast is Thursday, September 10th in the afternoon. The Fort will suddenly see a big pulse of swell hit 12 ft from the SSW, with a moderate energy reading of 2787. That's a lot of water moving. However, the wind will be a light cross-onshore, which isn't perfect, but for a set-up like The Fort, that size and direction (SSW) is close to its optimum SW direction. The period is 11 seconds, so it's a proper groundswell with good shape. This size is only for experienced surfers, and since The Fort is a reef break, it could get pretty heavy. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, but with this much swell, the lineup should thin out to just the crew who know what they're doing.

After that big day, the surf drops back down fast. By Friday the 11th, we're back to 3 ft and the winds are onshore again, dropping the quality. The rest of the second week, from the 12th to the 17th, is a real struggle. Swell hangs around 1 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is mostly cross-on or choppy. There is another interesting moment on the morning of Thursday the 17th: a tiny 1 ft groundswell from the SW with a very long period of 22 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. It's about as clean as you could ask for, but with only 1 ft of swell, it'll be a long wait for a ride. The water temperature is about 56°, a bit colder than usual for early September, so a good 4/3 is your friend.

So, the honest truth? This is a lean period. If you're a local and you've got the skills, the afternoon of the 10th is your only real shot at something meaningful. For the rest of the time, you're better off giving the board a wax and waiting for the next proper swell.

Rusty.

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