Authorities are warning beachgoers to be careful after a man was swept out to sea by a large wave and drowned while trying to save his dog on a Northern California beach.

The Marin Independent Journal ( http://bit.ly/UIBDp3) reported that 59-year-old Charles Quaid, of Richmond, and his wife were walking on the beach near Point Reyes on New Year's Day when the wave overtook the dog. That's about 30 miles northwest of San Francisco.

The San Francisco Chronicle ( http://bit.ly/VhR4Cj) reports the couple went into the water to rescue the dog, but the man was swept away. The wife and dog made it safely to shore.

The incident comes more than a month after three people drowned in roiling surf while trying to save their dog at another Northern California beach.

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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com