A smalschip lumbers in a heavy swell, keeling over with one sail out. Further back, off to the right, a boat rides a wave as its occupants man the oars. They have likely come from the large ship behind them in the distance, whose sails are wrapped up, perhaps suggesting trouble. A dark storm cloud towers above. The simple composition and monochromatic palette follow the tradition established in the 1620s by the brothers Jan and Julius Porcellis (1583/85–1632 and around 1610–1645 respectively). However, the work also incorporates painterly handling in the clouds and waves, which points to a later period, around the middle of the century, reflecting the influence of Flemish art in Dutch painting.