Legendary Pipeline Surfer Tamayo Perry Killed in Shark Attack
A wave of shock and sadness has swept over Hawaii and the surf world at large, as news that Tamayo Perry, Pipeline specialist, was killed by a shark on June 23rd. Perry was surfing Goat Island off Oahu's east side at the time of the attack; he was 49 years old.
Perry, a freesurfing standout in the North Shore scene around the new millennium, was beloved for his ever-present smile and casual poise under heaving, terrifying Pipeline barrels. The hard-charging goofy-footer was a frequent sight in surf magazines, surf flicks, and even making an appearance in the 2002 Hollywood hit, Blue Crush.
In the years following, he became a lifeguard and started a surf school.
Related: Surf World Reacts to Tamayo Perry’s Tragic Death
Per a report from Hawaii News Now:
“Honolulu EMS officials say they responded to an incident involving a body just before 1 p.m. in the Kahuku area.
“EMS officials say dispatchers said the man’s body appeared to have suffered more than one possible shark bite.
“Officials say lifeguards brought the man’s body to shore via jet ski, while onshore, EMS paramedics assisted with the death pronouncement.”
In a press conference, per the Associated Press, Honolulu Ocean Safety Acting Chief Kurt Lager called Perry “a lifeguard loved by all.” Lager continued:
“He’s well known on the North Shore. He’s a professional surfer known worldwide. Tamayo’s personality was infectious and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more.”
For more on Perry, and his impact on the surf world, here’s Matt Warshaw from the Encyclopedia of Surfing:
“Hard-charging, God-fearing Pipeline specialist from Oahu's North Shore; named by Surfing magazine in 2002 as "most likely to get the barrel of the year." Perry was born (1975) and raised on the East Side of Oahu, began surfing at age 12, and soon became best friends with future pop crooner Jack Johnson, who lived in a beachfront house at Pipeline.
“Perry was known in his late teenage years as the quiet up-and-coming local boy who had to borrow surfboards because he had no sponsors. By 1997, the wiry goofyfooter had gone a long way to developing a tuberiding style combining traits from Gerry Lopez and Tom Carroll, his two favorite old-school Pipeline surfers. He'd meanwhile become a devout born-again Christian: Asked by a surf magazine to name the last two books he'd read, Perry listed the Bible and The End: 50 Reasons Why Jesus Christ Could Return Before the Year 2000.
“Perry has competed selectively, and with modest success, finishing fourth in the 2000 Pipeline Masters Trials and fifth in the Billabong Pro Trials at Teahupoo. Nonetheless, by 2005 he was generally regarded as Pipeline's single most dominate surfer.
“Perry has appeared in more than a dozen surf videos, including The Bomb (1998), Revelation (2000), All Aboard (2002), and Loaded Pipe (2004). Emila Perry, Tamayo's Australian-born wife, is a professional bodyboarder.”
This is a developing story. More to come on Tamayo's legacy. In the meantime, rest in peace to this absolute legend.
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