When Upon Life's Billows. Sydney 1795-1821 - Governor John Hunter. John Hunter loves his life at sea. The wind blows where no man knows, and John finds himself caught in a storm. His ship, the HMS Sirius, gets wrecked in 1790. Five years later, he becomes the second governor of the rough and filthy penal settlement of New South Wales. From a place he once loved, he now seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, trusting the wrong people. Helena Rosedale is not your typical female convict. She fiercely battles to prevent the men from abusing her, earning her the nickname "Helena the Hellcat." Crispin Milroy, who is alone in the world, serves on the new governor's security detail. Can he win the fair lady's heart? Life in 1795 in Sydney Cove is harsh at best. Food is scarce, and disease often ravages the settlement. Life throws everything except death at these three, yet somehow, they manage to survive. Why does John trust this young couple when others betray him? What trials must Helena and Crispin endure to make their new lives in this unforgiving town bearable? How can John ease their path?