Set in the Malay Archipelago, this novel not only provides a gripping account of maritime adventure and romance, but also an exotic tale of the East. It explores the dilemmas of conscience, of moral isolation, of loyalty and betrayal confronting a sensitive individual whose romantic quest for an honourable ideal are tested to the limit.

Fanny Loviot, adventurer, writer and gold digger, emigrated to San Francisco in 1852. Along with 17 others, including a bankrupt bootmaker and a disgraced nobleman, she set sail from Le Havre on 30 May 1852 on the schooner Dunkirk Independence.

On 20 November 1820, just south of the equator, the whaling ship Essex, spotted and pursued a shoal of sperm whales.

Feature spreads on celebrated skippers and their dramatic stories are included, along with an exploration of the impact these fearless men and women have had on boat design, as their quest for sailing excellence has continued to challenge boat technology.

The first full-length biography of the famous privateer and pirate-hunter.