It is a bad day at the beach. A man has lost his Rolex watch and is upset when all Sean offers to do is fill out a report-not investigate everyone at the beach. Mr. Tanaka is in the water, trying to learn how to swim properly. Being the rich and old man that he is, he is impatient with the other people at the beach and is completely unaware of the dangers of being in the water. Kekoa is keeping an eye on him. Suddenly, a loose catamaran starts careening towards him. Everyone shouts at Mr. Tanaka to get out of the way, but he feels that he is an important man who does not need to move. Sensing the danger brewing, fourteen year old Kala'i pulls Mr. Tanaka under the surface of the water. The catamaran glides over them, narrowly missing them. Sean, in a daring move, leaps on the catamaran and with the help of Kekoa is able to stop it. Mr. Tanaka, though, keeps accusing Kala'i of attempting to mug him. He refuses to listen to anyone who tells him otherwise.
This long-running series follows the adventures of a team of lifeguards on the crowded beaches of Los Angeles County. Veteran lifeguard Mitch Buchannon watches over the younger lifeguards that come and go with each passing season as they keep the beaches safe for vacationers. Frequently he must take action to save them from the raging seas and from the raging tempers that sometimes flare up between the young guards in this stressful job.