When Mitch and Cody have rescued a little girl, it all turns out to be just another training exercise for some kids. While doing this, they are observed by Alex's nephew Timmy. Timmy is a mildly autistic boy who doesn't speak. Timmy loves dolphins and because of that, his mom Valerie is taking him to Hawaii where he can visit Dolphin Quest. Dolphin Quest is an organization that specializes in giving young children extraordinary experience of swimming with dolphins. When Valerie arrives to the beach and tells Alex that she can't get away from work, Mitch convinces Alex to take Timmy there. Cody joins them because he is going to participate in an outrigger race.
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.