The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp at The Fort is sitting at 59°F and that's bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Honestly, it's a bit of a slow start. We've got a few days of small, wonky swells to get through. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are pretty much a write-off with cross-shore winds messing up the small 3ft SSW swell. The energy is there, about moderate, but it's just not coming together cleanly.

Monday morning the 7th is the first real glimmer of hope. The wind swings lightly offshore from the SW at just 3 mph, and we've got a 3ft SSW groundswell running with a long 13-second period. The wave energy is still moderate. It's not going to be pumping, but that light offshore should make it clean and rideable. It's a marginal call, but the best early option.

Wednesday afternoon the 9th is the standout of the first week. The forecast shows clean conditions with a cross-offshore breeze from the NNW at 9 mph. The swell picks up to 3ft from the SSW, but more importantly, the period stays at 11 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate. The wind and swell direction match up nicely for The Fort, and it's a reef break, so that longer period will wrap in nicely. This is your pick for a fun, clean session.

Thursday the 10th sees a slight bump in size, with the swell hitting 4ft from the SSW (period 11-12 seconds). The energy is getting up there, moderate to strong. But the wind is a cross-shore, which will put a bit of a chop on the surface. It's still surfable, but Wednesday afternoon is the cleaner option.

After that, things go downhill. From Friday the 11th right through to the 20th, it's a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The wind picks up, the swell drops off, and the energy levels fall away. There are a few pulses of longer period swell (17-20 seconds) in the second week, but they're tiny (1ft to 2ft) and with cross-shore or onshore winds, it's not going to be worth paddling out. The 17th of September has a 5ft WNW swell, but it's a short-period 6-second windswell with a fresh cross-shore wind – that's a lumpy, messy mix that's more for the kites than a surfboard.

So, the call is clear: make the most of Wednesday afternoon, the 9th of September. That's the one clean, rideable window in an otherwise quiet outlook. The swell direction is right for the reef, the wind is right, and it's your best bet for getting a few clean ones.

Rusty.

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