Boisterous, Rabelaisian Portegese immigrant Mike Mascarenhas is a larger than life tuna fisherman in the waters off San Diego who captains a successful tuna boat schooner despite having lost a hand to an aggressive shark years earlier. His best friend, first mate Pipes Foley becomes his best friend after Mike rescues him from a voracious shark. When another crew member, Miguel Silva, is killed by the man-eaters, Mike takes a paternal, later romantic, interest in Miguel's pretty daughter, Quita, whom he marries. The ecstatic Mike doesn't realize that Pipes and Quita are falling in love which leads to tragic consequences.
—jbbooks1961