While sailing off the shore of British Columbia, John McCormick (Bruce Davison), his son, Angus (Jesse Bradford), and the boy's Labrador retriever, Yellow, encounter severe weather. When Angus and Jesse are knocked overboard, John struggles to rescue them, but to no avail. After washing up on the coast of a remote wilderness region, Angus and his dog do their best to survive, contending with both the elements and dangerous wildlife as the boy's parents embark on a quest to find them.