RAT Beach Trucker

RAT Beach TruckerSome may know R. A. T. as abbreviation for 'Right After Torrance' but did you also know this ? I was there when we named it Rat Beach, says Jim Mikkelsen. Rick Irons, winner of the 1964 United States Invitational surfing competition and uncle to professional surfer Bruce Irons and world champion surfer Andy Irons, used to surf down at Torrance Beach as a teenager in the early 60s. RAT Beach was one of his favorite spots. Jim, who was the first

Some may know R.A.T. as abbreviation for 'Right After Torrance' but did you also know this ?

  “I was there when we named it Rat Beach,” says Jim Mikkelsen. Rick Irons, winner of the 1964 United States Invitational surfing competition and uncle to professional surfer Bruce Irons and world champion surfer Andy Irons, used to surf down at Torrance Beach as a teenager in the early ‘60s. RAT Beach was one of his favorite spots. 

Jim, who was the first president of the Haggerty’s Club, remembers that he and his childhood surf buddies used to look up to Rick because of his phenomenal surfing style. “It was just ironic that he could make that part of the beach look good,” says Jim, “because it was never that much of a surf spot—it’s kind of in an odd corner.” 

Jim points out that Rick would often leave his pet rat on the beach while he surfed. So in honor of their favorite local surfer and his little rat, they decided to call Rick’s favorite spot “Rat Beach.” 

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