Fingal Point and Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window for Fingal Point and Beach is a tough one. We’ve got a long stretch of messy, blown-out conditions and very little in the way of proper surf. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Saturday afternoon, July 18th, but even that comes with a big caveat.

The overall pattern is dominated by strong, onshore winds that are going to wreck the surface for days. From Friday morning the 17th, we’ve got a tiny 0.3ft SE swell with a long 19-second period, but it’s blown out by a 30 km/h cross-onshore wind, and the wave energy is weak at just 23. It’s a no-go. That continues through Friday and Saturday morning – small, wind-affected junk.

The first standout, and really the only one worth a proper look, arrives Saturday afternoon the 18th. A big 12ft ESE swell rolls in, with moderate wave energy (2146). The wind swings cross-offshore, cleaning things up. The swell direction is from the ESE, which is a bit off the optimum NE for this spot, but the size and clean surface make it a serious option. That said, 12ft is big – expert territory only. The swell period is 10 seconds, so not a long-period groundswell, but it’ll have some punch. Best for strong paddlers who know the point.

Sunday the 19th through to Tuesday the 22nd stays big, with 12ft to 5ft of swell, but the wind is back onshore and lumpy, making it mostly a write-off for quality surfing. The wave energy drops from 2274 down to 417, but the surface is just too messy.

Then we get a little window on Thursday morning the 23rd. It’s small, at 4ft from the ENE, with a period of 9 seconds and weak energy (246). But the wind is glassy – dead calm. That’s a rare treat for this forecast. The swell direction is a bit off the optimum, but for a clean, small wave session on a point, it’ll be fun. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have some company.

After that, from Thursday afternoon the 23rd right through to the end of the forecast on August 1st, it’s a long, flat run. Swell drops below 3ft, and the energy is often under 100, with winds mostly cross or onshore. There’s a couple of instances of offshore wind near the end – like the morning of the 1st August with a 1ft ENE swell and 10 km/h offshore – but the swell is tiny and weak. It’s just not worth paddling out for.

Water temperature at Fingal Point and Beach is 70°, which is about average for the time of year – no anomaly to speak of, so you’re in a normal mid-winter wetsuit situation.

So, bottom line: the one proper standout is the Saturday afternoon session on the 18th, if you’re an expert looking for a big, clean wave. Thursday morning the 23rd gives the small-wave crew a glassy chance. Otherwise, it’s a quiet run. The forecast can always change, but for now, keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

Read more