Full Fathom Five tells the story of Christopher (Kit) Brown and his involvement in the Great Gale of 1871, his part in the heroic rescue of the crew of the Victoria, and the lifeboat disaster of March 1898 which led to his death. The story also relates how Kit tries to persuade his son Fred to take responsibility, and reflects on some aspects of life in the fishing community of Bridlington during the Victorian era. Real people are featured in this story, and the events concerning the lifeboats are historical events, but some of the words and actions of the characters are fiction.