After the death of her child, Emma's life is in ruins. In order to survive she must escape from her abusive husband and bury the guilt from her past. And then a chance encounter with a French seaman on the windswept Whitby cliff top provides the very opportunity. She can sail to Australia, but to do so she must stowaway on the Morning Star and risk being put ashore by the Captain if she is discovered. Following a vicious attack by one of the crew, Emma is nursed back to health by Charles Witton. As the turbulent sea around them mirrors Emma's emotional conflicts, the ship reaches Cape Town Bay - where disaster lies in wait.