Jan. 1: A couple walk along the North Beach as a helicopter searches for a man lost in the high surf at the Point Reyes National Seashore.
A California man died New Year's Day after he attempted to save his dog after it was swept out to sea by a rogue wave while they took a walk on the Point Reyes Beach, north of San Francisco.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the victim was with his wife and dog near the shore. The ocean was rough. A person at a nearby beach said waves were reaching 20 feet in height.
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One report said the three were knocked down by the same wave. A person nearby managed to retrieve the woman while her husband made an attempt to save the dog. He was knocked over, pulled out to sea and carried down the beach by the current.
"This is an example of the longstanding adage, 'Never turn your back on the ocean,'" Mike Giannini, Marin County Fire Department chief, told The Marin Independent Journal.
The Coast Guard located the victim's body after a three-hour search. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity was not immediately released. KTVU.com reported that he was 59 years old. The dog and woman were both saved by people on the beach.
The Independent noted that four days ago, a 9-year-old boy was swept into the bay while fishing with his father. The father died trying to save his son.
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