What is the setting of Shipwreck by Gordon Korman?

Shipwreck takes place primarily on board the schooner called the Phoenix. The adolescent passengers assemble to board her in Guam. From there, they are to spend thirty days out in the Pacific ocean with Captain Cascadden and first mate, Mr. Radford. The trip is part of a program called Charting a New Course (CNC) where adolescents who are struggling for one reason or another are given an opportunity to grow, bond with others, and learn the value of teamwork. Within a few days, what begins as a kind of working vacation turns into a nightmare of survival as the Captain is swept off the deck and within two days, the first mate deserts the six crew members, leaving them to fend for themselves on a sinking ship.