Fingal Point and Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with ya – the next sixteen days at Fingal Point and Beach are a mixed bag with a long, slow build-up to some half-decent surf. The first week is pretty much a write-off, so you’re better off leaving the board in the shed for a while.

We’ve got a solid gap of absolutely nothing worth paddling out for from now until the morning of Thursday, July 18th. The first few days are tiny, with a measly 0.6 ft to 2 ft of swell, and the wind is all over the shop – mostly cross-shore or onshore, making it a waste of time. The water temp is sitting at 69°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no drama there.

The first real sign of life, and I mean *marginal* life, is on Thursday morning, July 18th. We get a jump in swell to 8 ft from the SE, but it’s short-period (8 seconds) and the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-shore. The combined energy is moderate (767), but the conditions are all lumpy and cross-onshore. It’s not worth it for a paddle. If you’re into kites, this might be more your scene, as the beach setup with that much wind and swell is more interesting for a kite than a surfboard.

The swell hangs around the 8 ft to 12 ft range over the weekend, but the wind stays strong and cross-shore or cross-onshore, with the energy climbing into the strong category (1027 to 2654). The period is still short (8-10 seconds), so it’s just a messy, blown-out wall of water. The surf quality is rated as poor or marginal. Not for the faint-hearted, and definitely not for beginners – anything over 8 ft is expert-only territory.

Heading into the next week, the swell slowly drops from 10 ft on Monday, July 20th down to 5 ft by Friday, July 24th, but the wind doesn’t let up. It’s still a fresh cross-shore or cross-onshore breeze, keeping things choppy. The energy stays strong to moderate (1086 down to 544), but the conditions just aren’t clean.

Now, here’s the standout. If you’ve got patience, wait for Sunday, July 26th. The morning looks like a little window of hope. The swell drops to 4 ft from the E, with a long 11-second period, and the wind goes light and cross-offshore from the SSW. The energy is moderate (300). The forecast says “expect good surf conditions” – that’s clean surf, my friends. The swell direction is from the E, which is a bit off from the optimum NE, but with that glassy morning, it’ll be a fun little session for a point break.

The real gem, though, is Monday, July 27th. Morning session looks clean as a whistle. We’ve got 4 ft of E swell with a 12-second period (groundswell territory), and the wind is glassy from the S. The combined energy is moderate (501). This is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. The long period means the waves will have some shape and energy, but at a point break like this, it should line up nicely. Just keep in mind, this is a week and a half away, so it’s promising but not set in stone.

Tuesday, July 28th morning also looks glassy with 4 ft of E swell, now with a very long 13-second period, and the energy is picking up to moderate (734). Another solid morning option, but the wind is forecast to turn onshore in the afternoon.

So, the call: sit tight for the first week. The only real paddles worth having are the mornings of the 27th and 28th of July. The 27th is the standout. The break is fairly consistent, so it’s not a total disaster, but this area has its quiet spells. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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