The journey begins in Hamburg, in February with drizzling rain and poor visibility, and suddenly a sailor goes missing. This event runs like a red thread through the experiences of their travels. The author recounts quirky dinners in the captain's cabin, days and nights in the ports of Rotterdam and Finland, the smell of oily water, and dancing lights over the waves. Her companions are fiery, moody, or lonely sailors from Russia, Holland, the Philippines, or Kiribati, rough pilots, and cheeky passengers.