Anthony is an Irish novelist working as a journalist, assigned to write an article about the *Georges Lecointe*, a major underwater cable repair ship. Struggling with a long-standing alcohol addiction and the pain of estrangement from his son, he seeks a project that will give him a renewed sense of purpose. He is highly observant and quickly becomes fascinated by the enigmatic leader of the repair mission.

John is the chief of mission for the *Georges Lecointe*, responsible for overseeing the complex repairs of fiber-optic cables on the ocean floor. Originally from Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland, he is a dedicated free diver who finds peace in the extreme depths of the ocean. He approaches time and human interaction with a slow, deliberate pacing, harboring a growing resentment toward the instant connectivity his job provides the world.

Zanele is a charismatic South African actor and free diver preparing to travel to England for a theater production. She stars in and helps produce a controversial, gender-swapped adaptation of Samuel Beckett's *Waiting for Godot* that focuses on the climate crisis. She possesses a commanding, introspective presence and views humanity's lack of response to environmental destruction as an existential threat.

Petrus is a dedicated crew member working in the engine room aboard the *Georges Lecointe*. His emotional reaction to a family emergency highlights the close, family-like bonds maintained among the ship's diverse, international crew.

Veliane is a highly educated woman living in Accra, Ghana, who cooks and cleans for the bungalow community where Anthony stays. Holding a university degree and having written a thesis on fluid dynamics, she provides Anthony with sharp, scientific perspectives that challenge his own views on natural laws and repair.

Joli is Anthony and Irenea's sixteen-year-old son. He lives in Argentina with his mother and her new partner, maintaining a polite but distant relationship with his biological father after years of physical and emotional separation.

Irenea is a Chilean choreographer who met Anthony by chance in a hospital waiting room while suffering from a severe illness. After Anthony helped nurse her back to health, they married and had a son, but she eventually returned to South America to manage her depression, creating a lasting rift in the family.

Petra is a biologist and free diving enthusiast living in Cape Town. As part of Conway's local circle of academic and athletic friends, she has experienced extreme ocean depths firsthand and holds a skeptical view of Zanele's career ambitions.

Hercules is a crew member on the underwater cable repair ship. He helps orient Anthony to the realities of life at sea, explaining the distinction between the ship's captain and the mission chief, while praising the crew's harmonious dynamic.

Aubrey is a theater actor who helped establish a performing troupe with Zanele. He maintains a close professional proximity to her during her time working in London.