The Bay of Shoals is circular in shape, with the northern and southern shoreline separated by a small tidal creek. The 9.2 km long northern shore faces southeast and consists of a narrow, low strip of high tide sand, fronted by intertidal sand flats, which are vegetated in places and grade bayward into seagrass meadows, with seagrass debris littering the beach.
This beach is generally unsuitable for swimming, owing to the shallow sand flats.
Most fishing is done out in the bay, as the shore is too shallow.