The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one.

Alright, lookin' at the whole 16-day window for The Fort, and honestly, it's a bit of a heartbreaker. We've got a solid, consistent reef break here, but the conditions are just not cooperating. For the first week and a half, we're battling a persistent cross-shore wind that's just chopping everything up. The swell is there, but it's a mess.

The water temp is sitting at 57°F – that's pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope, and I mean a glimmer, is on Sunday, July 12th. The morning session might be worth a look. The swell is coming up to 6ft from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy is moderate at 797. It's still not perfect, the wind is on it a bit, but it's the best we're gonna see. It's marked as marginal, which is fair. The afternoon goes back to junk.

Then we get another tease on Thursday, July 16th. The morning shows a 7ft swell from the WNW, and the combined energy jumps up to a strong 1020. But again, that wind is cross-onshore, and it's listed as marginal. At 7ft, this is getting into expert territory at a reef break, especially with the wind messing with it. The afternoon is a write-off.

After that, the swell drops right off into the second week. We're looking at small, weak waves (2-3ft) with a very long period (16-18 seconds). That long period stuff at a reef like The Fort can be okay, but the energy is weak (combined energy in the 200-500 range) and the wind stays crappy. It's a long, frustrating stretch of "poor surf conditions" with very few bright spots.

The only other day that's not a total zero is Saturday, July 19th and Monday, July 21st mornings, where it's back to marginal, tiny waves with light winds. It's not going to get you out of bed.

To be honest, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer for most of the period. The wind is consistently cross-shore, which is a kiter's dream, but a surfer's nightmare.

There's no standout session here. The best on offer is the morning of Sunday, July 12th – it's the best compromise of size and wind, but it's still a compromise. Keep your expectations on the floor.

Rusty.

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