Rescue: HI-Surf Season 1 Episode 17 Recap: Sea Change

The North Shore team returns for another intense week of messy relationships, self-reflection, and successful rescues on Rescue: HI-Surf Season 1 Episode 17, “Sea Change.”

Starting their shift strong, Hina, Laka, and Kainalu spring into action when a slip-and-slide party takes a dangerous turn.

As one teen slides down the rubber runway, a father and son snorkelling accidentally drift too close to the landing zone. The teen crashes directly into the father, knocking him unconscious and injuring himself in the process.

After rushing both victims to shore, the father regains consciousness and immediately attempts to attack the teen who landed on him.

However, the impact from the collision has already left the man with broken ribs, and the confrontation quickly escalates. When the injured teen begins vomiting blood, the team rushes him to the hospital, highlighting the brutal consequences of the accident.

At the end of their shift, Hina invites Kainalu out for celebratory drinks, but he declines, explaining that he has plans with his girlfriend, Rosie. Feeling disappointed, Hina’s mood doesn’t go unnoticed by Laka, who invites her to join him and Carter instead.

She hesitantly agrees, but after one too many drinks and a flood of unresolved emotions, Hina misinterprets Laka’s friendliness as something more and tries to kiss him.

Laka gently stops her, making it clear that he sees her as a little sister and recognizes that her feelings are misplaced, wishing they were directed at someone else.

Back at the beach, Em and Will begin their shift when Em’s mother unexpectedly shows up at her workplace — this time, not alone. She brings Ethan, her boyfriend’s son, and pleads with Em to babysit him while the adults attend a business lunch. Despite her frustration, Em reluctantly agrees, assured it will only be for two hours.

Sensing Em’s irritation, Will takes Ethan out into the water to teach him how to surf, giving her a moment to cool off.

Ethan quickly picks up on the basics, successfully riding a few waves before heading back to the guard tower. Just in time, too, because the moment they return, Em and Will spot a windsurfer stranded on his board and rush into the ocean for another rescue.

The surfer, suffering from a broken foot due to a rough fall, initially seems stable, but moments after being pulled to shore, he suddenly goes into cardiac arrest. With Ethan watching anxiously, Em and Will perform CPR, using the defibrillator to shock the surfer back to consciousness.

Hours pass, and with no sign of her mother returning, Em takes Ethan out for dinner. Despite the circumstances, the two form an unexpected bond, realizing they share a painful connection; both have parents who continuously let them down.

Their newfound understanding offers a moment of comfort, even if it stems from shared trauma.

That peace, however, is short-lived. When Em finally confronts her mother about her neglect, the argument turns physical, and her mother slaps her. With years of pent-up resentment boiling over, Em doesn’t hesitate. She kicks her mother and boyfriend out of her house and her life, choosing to finally stand up for herself.

Meanwhile, another family struggles with conflict.

After Jennings’ daughter moved in with her boyfriend, Noah, against her father’s wishes — defying his demand that she attend college instead of traveling. The situation has been tense but after some reflection, Jennings and his wife, Ocean, meet with their daughter and Noah for lunch, ready to mend the rift.

With Ocean’s guidance and a reminder of how they raised their daughter to make her own choices, Jennings softens. He not only gives his blessing for the couple to live together but also encourages Ocean to pursue her dreams.

Despite his protective nature, Jennings ultimately proves that his love and support for his daughter outweigh his need for control, reinforcing that, at the end of the day, family means standing by one another, no matter what.

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What did you think of this episode of Rescue: HI-Surf? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Rescue: HI-Surf airs Mondays at 9/8c on FOX.

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