The Riddle of the Sands

In Autumn 1901, Carruthers, a British Foreign Office junior official, is invited on a yachting and duck-shooting holiday by his old university friend Arthur Davies. Davies hints there is more to the trip than sport, using the invitation as cover for a hidden agenda. Carruthers travels to Germany's northern coast to join the yacht Dulcibella.

On arrival, Davies reveals his suspicions of covert German activity around the Frisian Islands. He states his real aim is to uncover what the German authorities are doing, using Carruthers' German language skills and Whitehall connections. The trip begins to take on a mission-oriented purpose beyond leisure.

During the voyage, they encounter the retired German sailor Dollmann aboard the yacht Medusa with his wife and daughter Clara. The two vessels drift together, and Clara's presence hints at a personal dimension to the unfolding intrigue. The moment sets up a tense dynamic among the crews.

While sailing in a gale, Davies tries to steer into an estuary for shelter, but Dollmann deliberately blocks the entry with a hazardous maneuver. The near-collision endangers both ships and deepens suspicions about loyalties on board. The sea becomes as dangerous as the political stakes.

Davies asserts the real purpose of the trip is to detect covert German preparations that could threaten Britain. He explains that the holiday must double as covert surveillance to uncover the threat. The discussion cements the mission's seriousness for Carruthers.

They begin clandestine surveillance around the estuary and the hidden German base in the Frisian Islands. They observe rehearsals for a seaborne crossing that would threaten the British Isles. Circling German officers issue warnings, increasing the sense of danger.

They uncover Dollmann's true identity as Lieutenant Thomas, a former Royal Navy officer aiding German preparations. His intimate knowledge of British coast defenses marks him as a dangerous double agent. The discovery raises the stakes for everyone aboard.

They sabotage one German rehearsal, foiling the plan and signaling their resolve. With Dollmann wounded and his wife held as prisoners, they escape toward the Netherlands aboard two roped yachts. The pursuit closes in, heightening the urgency of their mission.

Davies makes the grim decision to abandon Dollmann and his wife in the Dulcibella so Dollmann can seek medical treatment in Germany. This drastic choice underscores the peril surrounding their operation. The rest of the party continues toward Britain, while others move separately.

Clara insists on accompanying Davies and Carruthers back to Britain aboard the Medusa, taking Davies's papers detailing the German plans. The trio heads for home, carrying critical intelligence. The mission shifts from covert surveillance to informing the British government.

Pursuing German authorities led by Kaiser Wilhelm II ram the Dulcibella and destroy it, killing Dollmann and his wife. The grim consequence of the traitor's actions becomes a brutal reminder of the cost of this covert operation. The pursuit seals the fate of those left behind.

The three survivors reach the Netherlands with the incriminating papers. Carruthers narrates that bringing the information back to Britain would prompt a shift in the United Kingdom's sea-defence strategy toward Germany, potentially averting war by deterrence. The final image suggests a new balance of power at sea.