Adam's father was a whaler in the Arctic -until the time he never came back. 16-year-old Adam desperately wants to find his father, so he signs on as a cabin boy in the next expedition travelling north. One of his earliest allies on board is an Eskimo girl called Pipaluk. When the ship gets stuck in the ice and is in danger itself, Adam and Pipaluk must travel over the treacherous ice-floes in search of help. As their journey lengthens, Adam learns a great deal about Arctic survival, about himself, and finally about his love for Pipaluk and her harsh homeland.