The ship "Glen Carrig" gets lost at sea when it strikes "a hidden rock" and several survivors escape the wreck in two lifeboats. But that is when their agony actually begins, as they become exposed to the Sargasso Sea, also known as "cemetery of the oceans".

William Hope Hodgson used his experiences at sea to lend authentic detail to his short horror stories, many of which are set on the ocean. Hodgson was an English author who produced many short stories and novels, spanning several overlapping genres including horror, fantastic fiction, and science fiction.