Zoo (Bull Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Zoo (Bull Bay) over the next stretch.

Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow start. The first decent window we get isn’t until Wednesday the 12th of August, but even then, it’s a one-session wonder before things turn a bit average. The morning of the 12th serves up some fun conditions with some clouds overhead, a glassy 3 mph breeze from the SE, and a tidy 4 ft swell out of the ESE pushing in at 8 seconds. The water temp is sitting at a very pleasant 85°, which is about spot on for this time of year, so you can leave the thick rubber at home. The combined energy of all swells directed here is 234, which is moderate, and the offshore wind direction is a solid NNW, so this spot will be nicely groomed. It’s a pretty good session if you can get out for the morning, but that’s the highlight of this day.

After lunch on Wednesday the 12th, it starts to get a bit rough with a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-on breeze, so the window closes quickly. From Thursday the 13th right through to Saturday the 15th, the wind stays cross-on and picks up, turning the surf a bit messy. By Friday the 14th, we’re seeing a solid 8 ft swell, but with a stiff 16 mph cross-on wind, it’s going to be choppy and not much fun for a paddle. The combined energy hits 934, so there’s plenty of power, but it’s just not clean enough for a good wave.

Now, the real standout here is Monday the 17th of August. After a few days of questionable conditions, Monday morning brings a complete glass-off. Zero wind from the ENE, just a clean 5 ft ESE swell at 9 seconds, with 358 moderate energy. It’s perfect, clean conditions for that reef. The afternoon holds up too with glassy 3 mph SE winds. That’s the best two-session day in the whole run, and for a spot that can be a bit busy, you’ll want to make the most of that clean, user-friendly swell. It’s not too big, not too small, just right.

After Monday the 17th, it’s a long, grim stretch. From Tuesday the 18th all the way through to the end of the period, the wind is mostly cross-on, the swell drops off, and the forecasts are pretty poor. There’s a small bump of marginal size around Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th, with some 7 ft to 7 ft swells, but with the cross-on breeze, it’s again not going to offer the clean lines we’re after. The combined energy spikes up to 1110 and 1044 on those days, meaning there’s strong wave energy, but the quality just isn’t there for paddle surfing. If you have a kite, it might be worth a look, but for a surfboard, it’s a miss.

So, bottom line: the first half of the window is a bit of a tease, with the one clean morning on the 12th and then that golden Monday on the 17th being the real prize. After that, it's a long dry spell until the last few days, which aren’t looking great. Get out on Monday the 17th if you can.

- Rusty

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