Top Australian surfer Joel Parkinson has described how he "went white" and "bawled" at the news of Andy Irons' death.

Parkinson has posted an emotional tribute on his website to Irons, who died on Wednesday in a Dallas hotel room.

Parkinson's trainer Wes Berg telephoned him with the shocking news.

"I had two missed calls back-to-back from Wes so I knew something must be up," Parkinson said.

"When he finally got me he asked if the kids were around - I told him they were and he told me it was best I just walk away from them for a second.

"Then he told me what had happened. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"I went white and I bawled, right there on the spot, but then I went into shock and I was in this state of shock all day yesterday."

Parkinson described the American as a great friend and one of the most emotional surfers he has seen, a renowned competitor who "wore his heart on both his sleeves".

The Australian is off the world tour as he recovers from a badly-cut foot and said he felt for his fellow competitors at the Rip Curl Pro Search event in Puerto Rico.

"I really miss them at a time like this and it must be really hard for the guys who are still in the contest to have to deal with losing their friend but having to keep on surfing," he said.

"It sucks for the guys still in it, but the contest has to go on.

"I'm feeling like all this is happening a long way away and I'm really missing being around my friends on tour."

Parkinson said before his injury, he and Irons had made plans to travel for the rest of this year on professional surfing's world tour.

He finished the tribute with: "Andy was a king; a king of surfing. Love you, mate."

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