Zoo (Bull Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch ahead ain't gonna have you calling in sick to chase barrels. The next 16 days at Zoo (Bull Bay) is a real mixed bag of wind-affected slop and short-period energy that never quite finds its rhythm. The first week is mostly a write-off, with persistent cross-onshore breezes and waves that just don’t hold shape. The water’s sitting at 86°, which is about average for this time of year, so you won’t need a hood, just patience.

We kick things off with Wednesday morning showing 6ft of short-period ESE swell, period only 8 seconds, and a light cross-on wind from the southeast at 6 mph. The energy’s weak too—combined energy value (675) is getting there but it’s all messy. That afternoon the wind picks up to 9 mph and it turns choppy. Thursday’s the same story: 6ft swell, same short period, cross-on winds, and energy dropping (789 in the morning, then 445 in the arvo). This is not surf you paddle out for unless you’re bored stiff.

Friday and Saturday don’t save us. Friday morning has 5ft and energy down to 266; the afternoon bumps to 5ft but it’s still poor. Saturday’s wind is up to 12–16 mph, and we’re looking at 6ft to 7ft of cross-onshore chop—this is messy, blown-out stuff. That’s when you might wanna think about a kite if you have one, because on a paddleboard you’ll just be fighting a losing battle.

Now, here comes the one real window worth watching. Sunday the 13th morning: the swell bumps to 7ft, period stretches to 9 seconds, and the wind drops back to a light 6 mph cross-on. The combined energy jumps right up to 1131—that’s moderate to strong energy, the most we see in this whole stretch. It’s still not perfect because the direction is ESE against an optimum SSE, and the period is short, but this is the standout. It’s the only session that might offer a couple of rideable, grindy reef waves if the tide lines up. That’s your pick of the fortnight, for sure.

After that, it’s back to the grind. Monday the 14th morning is marginal at 6ft with light winds, but energy’s already tailing off (690). The rest of that week is a mix of poor surf, onshore breezes, and the odd thunderstorm risk. We see the swell dropping by the 23rd and 24th, down to 3ft and under, with energy in the low hundreds and even double digits—that’s as weak as it gets.

To be honest, this is a rough run. Zoo (Bull Bay) is fairly consistent but the conditions just don’t line up. The quality is mostly poor, and the few marginal sessions are nothing to get excited about. If you’re a beginner, keep an eye on that Sunday morning wave—it might be a bit much at 7ft. If you’re an expert, it’s your only real chance to get a few corners.

There’s a long gap after that Sunday, about a week of nothing worthwhile, until the energy fades completely. But hey, forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this flat for long around here. Keep an eye on the charts—you never know.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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