Howdy......My wife stayed down the coast with some friends a few weekends ago at Shoal Bay, and came home raving about the beautiful bays and beaches and wanting to book in some annual leave so we can go down for a week or so in spring. Started to do some research and looked through the piccies she took and came across this one of Fingal Bay....
NICE
Googled it and a NE there looks like it would come straight over the sandbank and dunes between the island and mainland in the left of the piccy - I started frothing thinking of GPS possabilities due to what should be flattish water???. It looks pretty enclosed on a map, does it get rough in there at all? I guess due to facing south if there was a big south swell it could be an issue, but on a normal spring season I am thinking it should be flat? NE get in there ok or am I deluded?
I saw that sick em rex has sailed there in a S/SE, but I couldn't reply to the thread he started as it was too old. So sorry for strating a new one
Open to any suggestions for GPS and wavesailing spots in the area (Nelsons Bay) in say a NE given that will be the prevailing wind pattern in spring - Any hints pretty please? Ta in advance. Adam
EDIT: okay, so i found this thread (after dropping the 's' from nelsons for the search) www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/New-South-Wales/nelson-bay-neasters/?SearchTerms=nelson,bay
No mention of Fingal though in a NE - sand dunes too high for consistent NE?
Jimmy's beach is the go flat water NEr and you can sail across from Neslon bay if you are staying on that side. But you are best to stay in Hawksnest if you want to sail Jimmy's . Fingal bay can get pretty rough. Tha far end of the beach that you can see, there is a sand bar which is exposed in low tide.
I'm sure that windwarrior will chime in, he's a local up there knows all the conditions for each spot.
I can't imagine Fingal being good for speedsailing but it can be good for wavesailing in a NE. It needs S or SE swell or it'll be flat, but if there's any wave you'll get nice smooth little bearaways, which we don't get much of around Newcastle (we have lots of bearaway spots but they're a little onshore and bumpy). If it's windy enough you'll get a few jumps.
Other NE wavesailing spots around Nelson Bay are One Mile, cross-shore but it's a bit of a walk or sail or 4WD, and Birubi which is about 20 offshore and gusty unless you 4WD a few kms down the beach.
There's only the occasional wavesailor at any of these beaches.
AJ,
Port Stephens area is awesome. Wind & surf & good for kids. TAKE ALL YOUR GEAR.
Have had plenty of holidays there, pre & post kids. Have driven there for a sail for one day from Sydney once. Water is v clear/clean and dolphins around most of the year.
Pretty 'sharkie' (if that bothers you) and there is a known Great White breeding area further down Birubi/Stockton but I'm not a local or fisherman. Sorry about being a bit neg, I haven't ever seen a shark up there and seen more in Sydney.
Most spots have been mentioned. Shoal Bay is great in NE, straight off the main beach or park up the eastern end near the boat ramp. Also a westerly is great in the Bay with 1 metre + chop or wavesailing at Birubi. Fingal good if NE over 15 knots, the swell needs to be S/SE to get in and can get a bit straight. Personally I think the NE gets in better at Shoal and Birubi as more offshore.
Probably worth avoiding in Xmas break as population seems to quadruple and as it's one of the first places north of Sydney that allows jetskis, it can be like la perouse is for car enthusiasts.