Debbie Kent, Shauni's swim partner, has a very demanding father. She has excellent times but according to her father, they aren't good enough. Therefore he grounds her and forbids her to see her boyfriend Zach. Without her father knowing it, she and Zach have a beach party at the beach. When they decide to go for a swim, a shark attacks Debbie and she disappears.
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.