Imagine being thrust into a world where everything you knew as a child was now unfamiliar. The working crew on a Great Lakes iron core freighter is now your daily connection to earning enough money to go the college. As the events progress, the vessel, which is your home and job, becomes unstable and eventually not seaworthy. The crew is dysfunctional, and the dynamics of interactions of the captain's family throw all caution to the wind. The history and connections to the past become very important to survival. The ship sinks in the blue-black water of Lake Superior, and the aftermath is a study in character and justice. Leadership principles are embedded in the story as a guide to behavior at its best.