Kelly Slater, John Florence, Jack Johnson & Hundreds More Paddle Out At Pipeline To Remember Tamayo Perry

All photos by Jared Butler

Yesterday, the North Shore paused to honor the legacy of Tamayo Perry, the legendary Hawaiian surfer, lifeguard, surf coach, and actor who tragically passed following a shark attack while surfing off Goat Island a little under a month ago.

Throngs of cars, bicycles, and pedestrians made their way to Sunset Beach neighborhood park, the large grassy field located in front of Sunset Elementary School, at the foothills of the Pūpūkea-Paumalū Forest Reserve for the start of the celebration.

Attendees gathered in the field or under the shade of the trees with their loved ones, attentively listening as those closest to Tamayo spoke reverently of his life, legacy, and profound influence on the North Shore and beyond.

Among those who spoke were Perry’s wife Emilia, his pastor, fellow North Shore Lifeguards, and singer Jack Johnson, who performed songs in his memory alongside Hawaiian singer Paula Fuga. Many in the crowd paid tribute to Perry by sporting his famed shaved cheetah-print bleached hairstyle.

Thousands of flowers were worn as lei, a pū (traditional conch shell) was blown, and wreaths were laid upon Tamayo’s board and taken to sea.

The lifeguards looked on from their towers as hundreds paddled out at Pipeline to honor a man who had mastered the untameable wave over his 35-year run as a Pipe specialist and nearly a decade as a lifeguard.

Pipeline was calm on the beautiful Sunday in July, with summer conditions allowing for the passage of Hōkūleʻa – the legendary Polynesian voyage canoe that joined the paddle out, its distinct twin masts visible against the Pacific sky.

A large lei of donated flowers was carried to sea, along with his ashes, which were laid to rest in the waters that made him. “A knight forged in the fires of the North Shore in the ’90s,” as his wife Emilia eloquently put it.

Days of remembrance like these, though often sad and full of sorrow, can serve as a meaningful parting gift from those who have passed to those who remain. Yesterday’s was as gracious a parting gift as they come, with what felt like an entire island celebrating the life of one of their own favorite children.

Tamayo’s passing sent shockwaves throughout the global surf community. Pipeline is, in many ways, the nerve center of our sport, and a North Shore legend remains a legend wherever people slide over waves.

Rest In Pipeline, Tamayo.