In October 1955 the Soviet whaling fleet set sail on its tenth trip to the Antarctic. The fleet consisted of the factory ship '"Slava" and fifteen small catchers. During the seven and a half months they were away from home. 2.800 whales were killed. On the voyage we see the "Slava" enter the stormy forties where the waves are as high as a five-storey building, the strangely beautiful, almost transparent, icebergs, the penguins and main- other birds on the islands in Weddel Sea, and other phenomena such as a catcher's struggle with a wounded whale.