G'day
Im going up to Soldiers Point soon for a weekend, has anyone sailed Fingal Bay or maybe Shoal Bay before?
Cheers
Mtber67
What sort of sailing are you into ? Bump & Jump, slalom, waves ?
Plenty of options around Port Stephens.
Soldiers Point can be sailed on an easterly through to nor east... although you will be running almost parallel to the beach it self. You have to work your way out and can then zoom up and down on some pretty long runs (approx 4ks or so). Pretty much flat water (but not by the speed freak standards)
Shoal Bay can work well in the same wind conditions as above BUT you have to be mindful of the tides.
The Port itself is a massive expanse of water (6 times the size of Sydney Harbour) with all the water moving in or out via the heads.
You dont want to be anywhere near the heads when the tide is on the turn and heading out.
With winter now upon us, southerly winds right round to westerlies are the predominant pattern.
Fingal can work very well in a southerly/sse/se but its a bit of a walk in. You sail on the outside of the spit (heads side) but again need to be mindful of tide.
It can produce a pretty good wave ride when its on but there is only a handful of guys who now sail it.
Anything with West in it head to Birubi but check the swell. The beach itself faces due south and with an expanse of beach stretching 38 kms down towards Stockton/Newcastle the stretch of coast is a swell magnet.
Hope this helps you out
Kev
Hi WindWarrior,
Am in Soldiers Point visiting my brother. After seeing 25+knots for the last 2 days and 30+knots forecast for the next 2 days, I couldn't resist any longer.
I jumped in my van and did a mad dash back to Sydney and grabbed some old gear I had laying around. Needed to stop by Windsurfnsnow where Sam was kind enough to lend me his harness, an extension and a couple of fins.
So now i'm back here in Soldiers Point after 450 kms, 5 hrs at the wheel, and a tank of petrol.
My question now is where am I gonna sail tomorrow and Thursday? Tomorrow I was thinking of following the foreshore road down to Corlette, or even a little further around towards Nelson Bay for a little slalom blast. Thursday is looking like super strong wind, so i'm all set with my small wave sails. Anywhere in particular I should be thinking about for an easy launch on Thursday for some waves?
Any help would be appreciated.
Note for Remi and Chris,,,, I know what your gonna say. Yes I'm F#@%ing stupid, but God knows when i'll get another chance to sail. ;-) Doctor only told me I couldn't sail Formula. He said nothing about rigging small sails for a recreational blast in OZ. ;-P
Hi Jason, when either your guts explode outside your stomach, or strangulate itself internally, your body won't go to waste!!! The plentiful and large sea life on that side of Port Stephens will have a feast. You can tell when you are in the main channel, because the water is much colder, and you can here "that" music.
Have I mentioned to you before that they once caught the heaviest Great White off Port Stephens?? Good Luck.
Whom should I give your next fin order to?
Chris ; )
God damn Chris, you trying to get me all excited with all this talk of guts and big fish?
Wouldn't it be ironic,,,,,,
in my desperation to get one last session in,,,,,
before my big OP,,,,,
""""That music""""
In my last will and testament i, being of unsound mind and broken body, hereby leave all future fin orders to Remi, who will become cheif "VMG Blades" tester for Exocet Formula boards.
Oh, by the way, you think you guys are alone in Botany Bay?
[}:)]
JJay
Here's a few options for in the bay
Bagnalls has a big grassy rigging area along with showers and taps if you carry a hose.
A few of the speed/slalom crew hit it during summer nor easters.
In a westerly it will be a little bumpy but some pretty long fast runs to be had.
You can head down wind a bit and line up the sand banks OR launch from Dutchies if you are after some bump and jump action.
Just check the depth of the water over the bank first !
If you are after waves, Birubi is the go in a Westerly but there is a 4 metre swelll predicted and if it arrives on Thursday its gonna be pretty sizey !
Depending on swell direction there is a decent sized wave that works in the bay, its in between fly point and Jimmis Beach on the Hawks nest side.
Off to cross off in a west or west south west.
Normally only happens a few times a year in the winter westerly winds and low pressure systems for swell... fingers crossed for the planets to align !
And as far as sharks... all the big ones hang out along Stockton Beach... only the sick and really really hungry ones venture into the Bay itself 
Thanks WindWarrior,
All the effort you have made to help me understand the area and options, is awsome.
Maps, diagrams, info, thanks so much!
The only thing you forgot to mention is where you will sail from?
So I can find you after your sesh and buy you a beer to say thanks!
So nice up this way. So many options for wind and waves!
Could easily see me living up here!
Jason
P.S My brother and I are waiting for thursday morning swell to hit. For a possible early session (surfing) at birubi or samurai's. If it's really 4m, then might need to hit 1 mile? My brother surfed it on Anzac day, and said it was massive but surfable. However, might be worth the drive over to Jimmy's after my morning surf. I'm just a beginner in waves (sailing) so, 4m birubi is not an option for me. Is the place you're talking about over at jimmy's the spot just off the sand bar? Or is it "boulders" the spot off the rocks?
Thanks again.
Hey Jase, not sure if you realise or not but that early surf you have at Birubi or Samurai will then leave you with a nice hours drive back to Jimmys. I think we need to petition the council to build a bridge somewhere across Nelson Bay
Hi Kev,
I got up early, and dusted off the old 4.5m.
Hit the water around 9am, off bagnells beach.
Gusty with heaps of shifts near the beach, but once out the wind was solid.
Problem was,
That it was blowing about 900 knots,
I was having trouble triming my gear,
And I was on my own.
Got overpowered on my 4.5m! First time for everything I guess.
Will head back in the afternoon for a second shot at it.
Maybe i'll see you out there.
p.s How are ya Rexi? How's the knee?
Hope you are back to full power.
Yeah doin good thanks Jase. Been 6 months since the op and all mending nicely.
You up with Adam by the way?
Yeah Adam is doing it tuff living the good life.
He got a permanent posting at Nelson Bay Ambulance service.
Four days on, four days off. Surfs more than ever. In quality waves which are no too crowded most of the time. Good to have family up here!!!!
The area has sooooooo much potential!!!!!
Good waves for almost any wind and swell direction.
And heaps of places for Windsurfing on both flat water and waves.
If I didn't live in Europe, I would live up here for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Take care buddy.
Jason
Yeah I have sailed there heaps, absolutely a beautiful place to not just sail but to visit as well. Do yourself a favour and do the walk up Mt Tomaree and don't forget to take your camera.....you won't regret it.
Catch up soo mate 
