Sandy Ricks, a typically rebellious 14 year old city boy, is sentenced to spend the summer with his bachelor uncle Porter. Porter is an ex-hippie enjoying the simple life as an island fisherman. Forced to give up concert tickets and backstage passes to see his favourite band, Sandy is at an all-time low upon arriving at the ramshackle mess that his uncle calls home. The young landlubber and the salty seafarer take an instant dislike to each other. But all that changes when Sandy meets and is tamed by an equally feisty individual - a dolphin called Flipper.