Henny was just a little girl when she experienced brutal violence and hunger in
WWII Amsterdam. But she is now a teenage immigrant swimmer in 1950s
Australia. She is smart, she swims fast, and she has definite opinions about the
kind of woman she intends to be––all of which serves her well in her new home,
where she must learn to turn challenges into success.

Her parents’ wisdom continues to guide her. “Intentions are like prayers; you
send them out into the universe and if you pay attention they come back as
destiny,” her mother says. And when she walks in the bush with her father, his
reverence for the mysteries of nature helps Henny hear the timeless Australian
Land speak and see the Southern Cross as a beacon.

She enjoys swimming fame and championship victories, but throughout her
coming-of-age years, she is also faced with memories, fears, and dashed hopes
and dreams. Time and again, she dives into the pool to find her own strength and
sense of belonging––until, finally, she begins to see more clearly her unique path
ahead.