The fleet is portrayed before a light breeze. On the left, a port-bow view of the ‘Wapen van Nassau’ (‘Shram’), a flag at the main, with a galjoot on her port beam. In the right middle distance, the ‘Tijdverdrijf’ (‘x graef’) has a flag at the mizzen and pendant at the main. In the background there are other ships with pendants at the main marked ‘y’ and ‘xx’. The drawing is numbered ‘18’.

There are drawings by the Elder and the Younger dated in the early part of May 1665, though apparently they were not at sea with the fleet until 22 May [OS]/ 1 June. The series the Elder did before the battle was numbered, but the numbering cannot be reconstructed.

This drawing is rubbed on the back, with an offset taken from it. Unlike PAH3865 from the same series, this drawing is in van de Velde’s more documentary style and there is doubt as to whether the number ’18’ refers to the series or to a ship.