Precocious Patience Goodspeed, almost thirteen, hates to leave Nantucket and her treasured math tutor for a three-year whaling voyage. Patience`s father, Isaiah Goodspeed, runs a tight ship. Between endless kitchen duty and run-ins with the motley crew, she hardly has time to learn navigation. But smooth sailing gives way to a rocky course: Soon suspicious mates come aboard and maroon Patience`s father and brother on a deserted island. And Patience is faced with a problem that will take more than just brains to solve.