The portents are ominous as the Kreya sets sail from Dublin to Copenhagen: bad weather, discontent among the crew, suspicion and secrecy among the passengers. Then, in mountainous seas, disaster strikes: a great storm, a rudder smashed beyond repair, a mutiny - and suddenly passengers and ship's officers are left helpless on a drifting ship at the mercy of the ocean, driven inexorably north by wind and tide towards the most terrible ordeal of all.