The Fort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what The Fort has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a pretty grim run of surf on the horizon. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak swell and mostly dodgy winds. The first session worth even paddling out for doesn’t show up until Monday afternoon, August 10th. That’s a bit of a quiet start. Even then, it’s only a tiny 3ft swell from the WNW with a meagre 9-second period, putting the combined energy at a weak 293. The wind is a light cross-onshore breeze, so it won’t be glassy, but it won’t be a total washing machine either. The water temp is 57°, right about average for this time of year so nothing weird there. Expect a bit of a chop and only the most optimistic surfers will get much out of it.

The rest of the first week is a write-off. Tuesday through Friday are full of poor surf conditions and “marginal” tide calls. You’ll see tiny 1ft to 3ft stuff, but the wind is often onshore or cross-onshore. There’s a brief moment on Friday morning, August 14th with glassy conditions – clear skies and a 3 mph onshore breeze – paired with a 2ft, 15-second groundswell. That long period might offer a few cleaner lines at this reef if you’re desperate, but the energy is low (290) and the score is barely a whisper. It’s not worth the drive unless you’re local and need to get wet.

Now, the one and only true standout in this whole 16-day forecast is the Saturday morning session on August 15th. The swell jumps up to 3ft from the SW with a solid 17-second period. This gives us the highest combined energy of the entire forecast at 462 – still moderate, but it’s got some real push. The wind is light and onshore from the SW at 6 mph, which isn’t perfect, but at a reef like The Fort, that light onshore flow can actually groom the face. This is the best bet for a few proper waves, especially for intermediate surfers. The long period means those sets will have some grunt and space between them, making the paddle out a bit easier.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Sunday, August 16th, right through to Tuesday, August 25th, we see persistent poor conditions. The swell stays small, often under 3ft, and the wind either stays cross or cross-onshore. By the end of the second week, the wind is picking up to fresh breeze levels (15-19 mph) from the NW, making it lumpy and choppy. With the energy numbers dropping into the low 100s and 200s, this setup honestly looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. Crowds are only “sometimes” a problem here, but with surf this average, you’ll have the place to yourself.

So, in a nutshell: Saturday morning, August 15th is your best shot. The rest is a waiting game. It won’t stay this flat forever, so keep an eye out.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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