45-year-old Kristian, otherwise known as Kesse, is a third generation fisherman who lives in the small and windblown town of Hirtshals, in northern Jutland. Times are changing and new fishery policies are pressuring the local fishermen. As a result Kesse is desperately struggling to keep his heads above water and the creditors at bay. He is forced to find more notorious ways of making ends meet, which in turn leads him to meet the female marine biologist Gerd, from Copenhagen. Despite obvious differences, they fall head over heels in love with each other and Kesse is suddenly faced with the difficult choice of whether to continue fighting for the life he knows so well, or to start anew.