This fact based drama chronicles the last journey of Willem Barentsz and Jacob van Heemskerk on their search for a new passage to the Indies. Due to icy waters, they are stranded on the island of Novaya Zemlya and have to spend the winter there. The story is told through the eyes of Gerrit de Veer, an officer on the same voyage, and is loosely based on the famous diary he published in 1598 after his safe return.—mahajanssen