Charles Francis Quaid died after he was swept out to sea in California. He was 59-years old.
Quaid was walking along the beach on the Point Reyes National Seashore with his wife and dog on New Year's Day when a large wave knocked his wide and his dog were knocked down by waves that had snuck up on them.
Quaid was able to help his wife, but when he was trying to help his dog, he was knocked down by a series of waves and was swept out to sea at around 12:30 p.m. Bystanders were able to bring Quaid's wife and the dog to safety.
The Marin County Fire Department was notified of the incident and they arrived with the Coast Guard within 20 minutes to search for Quaid, but he was no longer visible.
At around 4p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard recovered Quaid's body with a lifeboat. He was pronounced dead.
"This is an example of the long-standing adage, 'Never turn your back on the ocean,' "Marin County Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Giannini told Mercury News. He called the wave that swept Quaid, his wife and his dog into the water a "sneaker" wave.
Large waves are common to Point Reyes National Seashore, but they can be unpredictable.
"That beach is notorious," Capt. Chris Martinelli of the Marin County Fire Department told ABC. "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."
This isn't the first time someone drowned after being swept out to sea in California. In November 2012, a teenager and both of his parents drowned when another sneaker wave swept the family out near an area called the Big Lagoon. An older daughter and a family dog survived that incident.
Quaid's wife, Lisa was examined by paramedics and released. She is now mourning the loss of her beloved husband of six years.
"He was a very engaged, very active person," Lisa Quaid told Mercury News. "Life was never boring with Charlie."
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
