Errol MacKinnon

After returning home to a rugged island near Nova Scotia, Joanna, daughter of the local bigwig, struggles to choose between three eligible bachelors -- the rebel, the steadfast friend and the poetry-quoting newcomer. As the local lobster supply dwindles due to overfishing, the island's inhabitants encounter economic difficulties.

The crew of a deep-sea trawler face a series of life-threatening challenges on the open ocean. While the ship battles brutal weather and treacherous icy conditions (the metaphorical "black ice" of the sea), the plot centers on the internal and external conflicts of the sailors.