Zoo (Bull Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks down at Zoo (Bull Bay). I’ll be straight with you – it’s a mixed bag, and we’ve got a bit of a wait for the good stuff.

Overall, the pattern is dominated by a persistent ESE swell, but the wind is a real pain in the neck for most of the period. It’s gonna be a long, frustrating stretch of cross-onshore breezes, keeping things choppy and messy. We’ve got a solid gap with no real surf recommendations from the get-go, stretching all the way from August 10th through to the morning of August 17th. That’s over a week of poor conditions, with the swell energy bouncing around, but the wind just ruining it. The energy is there, but you wouldn’t want to paddle out.

We finally see a little light on the horizon on the morning of Monday, August 17th. The wind eases off, swinging to a light SSE onshore, but the waves are still pretty marginal. It’s a gentle 5 ft of ESE swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s not got much grunt. The combined energy is weak at 366, so don’t expect much. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is the morning of Tuesday, August 18th. This is your best bet in the whole outlook. The wind drops right out, going glassy. That’s a major positive. You’ll be looking at clean, small waves – 4 ft from the ESE, with a combined energy of 215. It’s not going to be big or powerful, but it’ll be rideable and clean. The swell is a touch short at 8 seconds, but for a glassy morning on a reef, you could get some fun little ones. Keep in mind, Zoo can get a few people on it, so expect some company.

After that brief window, it’s back to the grind. From Tuesday afternoon through to the end of the forecast, the cross-onshore wind returns, and the surf quality plummets. There’s another decent window to look at, but it’s a long way off. The morning of Tuesday, August 25th, shows glassy, calm conditions again with a 5 ft ESE swell, energy at 307. That’s a promising call, but we’re talking about a date over two weeks away, so take it with a grain of salt. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprise there.

Bottom line: hold out for the glassy morning of Tuesday, August 18th. That’s your session. The rest is a write-off unless you’re a glutton for punishment or a kite surfer, because the wind is gonna be blowing onshore pretty much the whole time.

Stay patient,
Rusty

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