A leisurely winter cruise in the Bahamas aboard a modern yacht turns into an episodic adventure when the party encounters a shabby yawl and is drawn into a chain of maritime misfortunes. The narrative follows the voyage, a subsequent wreck and onboard mutiny, and the survivors' struggle on remote sandspits and reefs. Interwoven are episodes of seamanship, small-boat life, island atmospherics, and practical salvage efforts, with recurring tensions among crewmembers and visitors. The story unfolds in three parts that move from cruising and discovery to catastrophe and improvised survival, and finally to return and reckoning with secrets unearthed on the sand.