Fingal Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m lookin’ at the next 16 days on the local stretch. It’s a weird start, and we’ve got a long wait for anything decent.

For the first week, honest to god, there’s barely a ripple worth paddling for. The first few days offer tiny, jumbled waves with fresh cross-offshore winds that make it a chore. The swell energy is weak, bouncing between 43 and 173 (kilojoules per metre). It’s a total write-off. Then we get a nasty spike mid-week, with a big, messy southerly swell hitting the beach on the 15th and 16th. The energy jumps way up, but onshore winds ruin everything. Wednesday the 15th sees onshore winds at 18-25 mph with a 7ft to 12ft wall of messy, short-period swell (energy hitting 1731 on the afternoon). That’s not paddle surfing; that’s a washing machine. Kite surfers might have a ball, but for us, it’s a hard pass. Thursday the 16th is still big and lumpy with cross-onshore winds.

The standout window finally opens on the 19th, and it’s the only real gem in the whole outlook. That Sunday morning is the one to circle.

Fingal Bay (Fingal-Bay) – Sunday the 19th of July, morning session. We’re talking a solid 8ft swell from the ESE with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore from the NNE. That’s clean, lined-up, powerful surf. The energy is strong at 1455. It’s a bit of a beast, so this is strictly for experienced surfers – beginners will be in over their heads. The water temp is about average for the time of year. Crowds are something to think about here, as it can get busy, but with conditions this clean and that swell direction hitting the point and beach setup just right, you’ll want to be out there early. The afternoon stays good, too, with a 8ft swell and cross-offshore wind, though it’s not quite as pristine.

The rest of the second week is a letdown. The 20th offers clean, chest-high waves, but the energy drops. The 21st has a long-period 8ft swell from the ESE (12 seconds, energy 1606), but the wind is cross-shore or cross-onshore, making it choppy. That’s a promise of good energy that’s let down by the wind. After that, it fades into average, small, or windy conditions. The 24th afternoon sees a glassy 4ft wave from the SE, which is clean and fun for a longboard, but nothing to get wild about.

So, the play is simple: wait through the junk and the stormy mess, then hit Fingal Bay hard on Sunday the 19th for the morning. After that, it’s a slow fade back to small stuff.

Rusty.

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