Thrown overboard while conducting an environmental investigation, Humphrey Van Weyden is as good as dead. But before he can meet his watery doom, he is plucked up by the crew of the freighter "The Ghost". The ship's formidable captain, Wolf Larsen, sees a challenge in Humphrey; to turn this over educated idealist into a man of action like himself. Larsen succeeds in changing Humphrey's life, but in the process sacrifices himself to the same rage and instability that makes him such a powerful fig...