While Slade is winning a surfing competition in Australia, a diamond-smuggler named Dirk puts some diamonds in a surfboard that looks identical to Slade's. He marks one of the fens, so he can find the right surfboard. When Slade is receiving his trophy, Dirk switches the surfboards and when Slade comes back to California, Dirk and his partner Lila follow him to the beach. When Slade leaves his van to go and sleep on the beach, Dirk enters Slade's van using the keys.
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.