While living at the beach and surfing every day may seem idyllic, in the summer of '89 fifteen-year-old Jack McHale’s life is upended when his parents split up. A sensitive, thoughtful writer with a passion for music, he’s become angry, resentful, and he’s taking dangerous risks. But when an angry ocean tries to claim him, it’s Jack’s brothers who will prove their unshakable bond. As Jack struggles to understand his new role in the family, and forge new relationships with his parents, he’s also dealing with peer pressure. He’s falling for a rebellious surfing girl whose adventurous spirit puts his life at risk. Faced with a life-or-death decision, Jack has to choose between a personal accolade or discover that a moral triumph brings its own rewards?