The film accompanies a motley crew of idealists on board the Greenpeace ship "Esperanza" on their mission to prevent the Japanese whaling fleet from hunting the endangered animals in the Arctic Ocean. The documentary shows how the Esperanza attempts to pick up the trail of the whalers in the endless expanses of the Southern Ocean, who for their part want to avoid a confrontation. Using tiny inflatable boats, the animal rights activists try to obstruct the fleet as much as possible, risking their lives. A race against time begins. Angela Graas' film largely dispenses with gory images and simple black-and-white imagery.