Man Swept To Sea As He Attempts To Rescue Dog
Point Reyes, CA – A man was swept to sea attempting to save his dog on a Northern California beach.
Fifty-nine-year-old Charles Quaid (pictured below) was walking along the coast near Point Reyes, a popular tourist destination about 30 miles northwest of San Francisco with his wife and dog on New Year’s Day. Tragedy struck when a 10- to 12-foot wave wave overtook Quaid’s dog, prompting the couple to enter the water to save the animal. Both Quaid’s wife and the dog made it back to shore, but Charles was swept to sea.
As Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Mark Leahey told the The San Francisco Chronicle:
“The man went after the dog, and the wife was in the water as well. The wife and dog made it back to shore safely but unfortunately the man was carried out to sea.”
The body of the man swept to sea was discovered around three hours later after the Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter from its San Francisco air station and a 47-foot life boat from Bodega Bay. Leahey confirmed to the Chronicle that the man was brought back to shore and pronounced dead.
Speaking to ABC News, Capt. Chris Martinelli of the Marin County Fire Department said the beach had a dangerous reputation:
“That beach is notorious. There are signs posted pretty well in that area warning of danger. This beach in particular is very exposed to the swell, and this time of year there are very large swells. If you aren’t watching the water they can come up out of nowhere.”
Back in November, a man and woman and their teenage son all drowned in Big Lagoon, California after the trio attempted to save the family dog, which had been swept into the ocean.
