In March 1816 the whale ship Esk sailed from Whitby on the east coast of England on a voyage to hunt whales in the Arctic. Commanded by one of the most successful whaling captains of the time, William Scoresby Jr., it should have been a successful and lucrative summer whaling season. But bad weather and floating ice put an end to any hopes of a profit. This short book tells the story of a famous commander and a remarkable rescue.