Captain John Mackinnon and his ship, the Matthew Flinders, are embarking on their last voyage. Both endangered species, they symbolize the irreversible, quiet decline of the British merchant fleet. But this journey to Hong Kong will prove to be anything but quiet, with unrest among the crew, a deadly typhoon, and a daring rescue of a boatload of Vietnamese refugees. Mackinnon faces an explosive chain of events that will lead to mutiny, confrontation with authorities, and the greatest challenge of his career.