Changing Tides follows the organization Warm Current, a surf non-profit that works with underserved youth on the Pacific Northwest coast of the United States. By bringing kids into the frigid water to learn surfing, they also teach them a healthy lifestyle that can impact them for life. In the film the main character Tony Debari, a member of the Makah first nation tribe, tells of his culture's deep rooted connection to the ocean and how surfing benefits his community. With small waves filled with smiles to big wave surfing legend George Desoto, Changing Tides gives a glimpse into the surf culture of the Pacific Northwest.