Fingal Beach is an interesting location for two reasons. First the beach is located in Fingal Bay, which forms a southeast-facing 1.5 km wide almost circular shape, with a 1 km wide rocky entrance between Point Stephens and Fingal Head. Second, high waves occasionally breach the northern Fly Roads section of the beach, at times giving the bay two entrances. The southern side of the bay is backed by a settlement of the same name, which had grown sufficiently by 1964 to warrant the formation of the Fingal Beach SLSC. The road from Shoal Bay runs along the southern half of the beach, together with a bike track to the high school. Car parking is available around the surf club, next to the park and in the southern corner, while the entire settlement is surrounded by Tomaree National Park. Fingal is the surfing beach for Nelson-Shoal bays and works best in moderate to high southeast waves. The waves usually average less than 0.5 m in the south, but increase northward to average just over 1 m north of the surf club, and again dropping in height along the spit toward Point Stephens. As a result a continuous attached bar occurs to either end with an attached bar cut by rips along the central portion, including in front of the surf club. During and following high waves up to 10 rips can form on the curving 2.7 km long beach including a strong rips against the normally calm southern head.
SLSA provides this information as a guide only. Surf conditions are variable and therefore this information should not be relied upon as a substitute for observation of local conditions and an understanding of your abilities in the surf. SLSA reminds you to always swim between the red and yellow flags and never swim at unpatrolled beaches. SLSA takes all care and responsibility for any translation but it cannot guarantee that all translations will be accurate.