Everly is an art history professor living in present-day Savannah. She suffers from severe survivor's guilt following the sudden death of her childhood best friend, Mora. When asked to curate a museum exhibit about the recently discovered wreckage of the steamship Pulaski, she hesitates but ultimately accepts. The project reawakens her lifelong interest in history and storytelling.

Lilly is a wealthy Savannah socialite trapped in an abusive marriage. She outwardly conforms to societal expectations while secretly planning to escape her husband. She uses the voyage on the Pulaski as an opportunity to protect her infant daughter and seek a life of freedom.

Augusta is the younger sister of a wealthy Savannah businessman. Because her fiancé died before their wedding, high society treats her like a widow, limiting her social prospects. She frequently cares for her brother's children and yearns for the independence and romantic fulfillment she feels denied.

Charles is the fourteen-year-old son of Lamar Longstreet. He travels on the Pulaski with his extended family. As the oldest son, he feels a strong sense of responsibility toward his younger siblings and attempts to act as a protector when disaster strikes.

Maddox is a deep-sea diver and shipwreck expert who locates the remains of the Pulaski. He carries physical and emotional scars from his past, making him uniquely capable of understanding Everly's grief. He recruits her to curate the exhibit because he values her empathetic approach to history.

Oliver is a museum professional and the former fiancé of Mora. He approaches Everly to curate a new historical exhibit, believing she is the only person qualified for the job. He shares a complicated dynamic with Everly due to their mutual mourning process.

Adam is a wealthy, controlling man married to Lilly Forsyth. He is physically abusive toward his wife and constantly asserts his dominance over her and their enslaved servants. He boards the Pulaski carrying a large amount of gold, intending to conduct business on the journey.

Priscilla is an enslaved Black woman forced to work as a nursemaid for the Forsyth family. She cares deeply for baby Madeline and attempts to protect herself and the child from Adam's volatile temper. She feels anxious about sea travel due to the generational trauma of the Atlantic slave trade.

Henry is a New Yorker who helped oversee the construction of the Pulaski. He travels on the ship's fourth voyage and spends time conversing with Augusta Longstreet. As a Northerner who opposes slavery, he finds himself at odds with the Southern aristocrats onboard.

Lamar is a highly successful Savannah businessman and investor in the Pulaski. He brings his large family, including his wife and five children, on the voyage. He commands respect from Savannah society and provides financial stability for his unmarried sister, Augusta.

Mora is Everly's childhood best friend whose sudden death in a car accident deeply traumatized those she left behind. Her memory heavily influences the actions and emotional states of Everly and Oliver in the present timeline.

Harriet is Everly's mother, a Savannah socialite who lives in the family's historic home. She worries about Everly's prolonged depression and gently pushes her daughter to take the museum job, hoping it will rekindle her passion for life.

Papa is Everly's late paternal grandfather. When Everly was a child, he entertained her with highly imaginative, mythical stories about the sinking of the Pulaski and the mysterious disappearance of Lilly Forsyth, sparking Everly's interest in history.

Allyn is Everly's sister. She has a family of her own but remains closely involved in Everly's life, checking in on her mental health and offering practical advice as Everly begins working with Oliver.

Thomas is the two-year-old son of Lamar and Melody Longstreet. He is particularly close to his aunt Augusta, who views him as her favorite nephew and focuses on his safety during the journey.

Melody is Lamar Longstreet's wife and the mother of his five children, including Charles and Thomas. She travels aboard the Pulaski with her large family, managing the children alongside her sister-in-law Augusta.

Madeline is the five-month-old daughter of Lilly and Adam Forsyth. She is the center of her mother's world, and Lilly's primary motivation for securing her valuables is to ensure a safe future for the infant.

Laurel is Mora's mother. She is embittered by grief following her daughter's death and holds resentment toward Everly, projecting blame onto her for the tragic accident.

Josephine is Mora's grandmother. She possesses historical artifacts related to Savannah's past, including an oil painting of the Pulaski, but is highly guarded about her family's specific history.

Sophie is an African American studies professor and a friend of Everly. She provides grounded advice and encourages Everly to ensure that the stories of enslaved individuals are accurately represented in historical exhibits.