Shot around the Great Barrier Reef, this is the true story of the Carpenter family, who spent 37 days at sea waiting to be rescued after their boat was capsized by whales. It's an incredible tale of human endurance and those involved were clearly remarkable people, but, translated into TV drama and aimed at a family audience, their experiences end up looking rather clichéd. And don't expect cinema-standard special effects because the budget obviously wasn't there. However, seasoned actors Robert Urich and Ali MacGraw show the necessary charisma and strength of character to make the film worth watching, and they're backed by some spirited performances from the younger members of the cast.

After their 43-foot schooner was stove in by a pod of killer whales, the six members of the Robertson family spend 37 days adrift in the Pacific with no maps, compass, or navigational instruments.They use every survival technique they can as they battle 20-foot waves, marauding sharks, thirst, starvation, and exhaustion.