Port Stephens is a very popular location for Standup Paddleboarding for both locals and visitors. The area offers great surf beach’s with the south facing Birubi Beach and the due east facing One Mile Beach catering to swells in different directions. Fingal Bay offers both a surf and great flatwater destination depending on conditions.
Further into Port Stephens is Shoal Bay.
Shoal Bay is a beautiful sheltered bay that provides the perfect place to swim or SUP. Sea grasses and sandy shoals are easily visible up to 10 meters down in the clear waters of Shoal Bay and home to dolphins, sand rays and the occasional turtle.
Each May Shoal Bay comes alive with the annual NSW Standup Paddleboarding championships which attracts over 100 of the states best paddle-boarders who compete in a range of SUP competitions over 4 days.
Following the bay around and under the Inner Lighthouse on Halifax Point we come to the area known as Little Beach, further on from this is another beautiful spot, Fly Point, which is renowned as one of the areas finest locations for sheltered shore diving. Moving around from Fly Point is the Nelson Bay marina, Dutchies Beach, Bagnall’s Beach and Sandy Point before we come to the stunning Salamander Bay.
Salamander bay offers a more estuarine environment with an area of mangroves and a shallow area that is often frequented by sting-rays.
The area around Taylors Beach and Lemon Tree Passage has some great mangrove areas and oyster leases that is regularly frequented by many varieties of water birds and other interesting wildlife.
To the North on the other side of Port Stephens lie the Myall Lakes – 5,800 hectares of estuarine lake system to explore.
Overall Port Stephens is a fabulous place to stand up paddle-board. If you are looking for a destination that offers a variety of SUP locations in one area you cant beat Port Stephens ,NSW Australia.
Shoal Bay SUP located near the boat ramp at Shoal Bay offers day hires that means even if you dont have your own SUP you can try all of the SUP Places in Port Stephens.
