Martine is gifted with the ability to heal animals. She has a white giraffe at home named Jemmy, and she is known throughout Africa as the girl who rides the white giraffe. This time, however, she is on board ship away from Jemmy and fearful of drowning. It's a school trip to see the Sardine Run. The sight of the sardines is very powerful, and then the boat finds itself caught in a violent storm, and Martine is overboard with no life vest. This is the sequel to THE WHITE GIRAFFE.