The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for The Fort.

Honestly, it’s a pretty flat and frustrating stretch ahead. The Fort is a consistent reef break that’s fairly exposed to the swell, but we’re looking at a long, dry run with barely a ripple worth paddling for. The first solid chance doesn’t even show up until the second week, and even then it’s only just scraping into the “maybe” category.

The first few days from Tuesday the 11th right through to the end of the first week are pretty much a write-off. We’ve got tiny swell – mostly around 2ft to 3ft – with a lot of cross-onshore wind and the wave comments are all about “poor surf conditions” or “marginal” at best. The water temp is sitting at 59°F which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. The combined swell energy is weak, mostly in the 200s to 300s (329 on Tuesday, dropping to 240 by Wednesday afternoon), which just isn’t enough to get excited about.

There’s a bit of a tease on Friday the 14th morning with a 2ft SSW swell and a 15-second period, which is a long period groundswell. The wind is light and cross-on, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast.” The energy is still low (288), so I wouldn’t paddle out expecting much.

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th mornings have a similar story: 3ft SSW swell with a 16-17 second period, and light offshore wind from the SW. The combined energy finally climbs into the moderate range (462 and 474), which is a step up. But the wave comment is still “marginal.” The direction is SW, which is the optimum direction for The Fort, and the long period could mean some decent shaped waves if the reef lines it up. But it’s a reef break, so that long period should work in its favour. Still, it’s not enough to call it a standout.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is early on Tuesday the 25th of August. We’ve got a 3ft SW swell, 18-second period – that’s very long period groundswell. The wind is light and offshore from the SSW, which is clean. The combined energy jumps to 602, which is the strongest all forecast. This is the best on offer. The Fort is a reef, so that long period should wrap in nicely. It’s a genuine chance for some clean, lined-up waves. But it’s a long way out – more than a week – so keep your expectations in check. Crowds are “sometimes” an issue here, so you might have a bit of company.

Before that, Thursday the 24th afternoon has a 2ft SW swell, 19-second period, with a gentle cross-shore breeze. The energy is 415, which is moderate. It’s marginal, but if you’re desperate, you might find a sneaky one.

The rest of the run is a mix of tiny swell, cross-onshore winds, and poor conditions. There’s a solid 10-day gap from the 11th to the 21st where you’re really just looking at poor surf or marginal at best. The 25th is the only day that really stands out.

Stay patient. The long-range promise is there, but it’s a long wait.

Rusty.

Read more