Two Dutch men-of-war, which form part of a fleet, are shown at sea in a storm. The warship in the middle distance on the left is shown in starboard-bow view and is running before the wind, out of the picture plane, towards the ships on the right. The principal ship, beating to windward in port and stern view in the central foreground is the 'Zierikzee'. Her stern is ornately decorated with the coat of arms and the profile of the skyline of the port of Zierikzee, and her transom beam is inscribed 'Godt/Wilse/Beware/Die Met/Het/Schpp/Ssee/Naf', which can be loosely translated as 'God will protect those who sail in this ship'. She is towing a line and is attempting to claw off a lee shore under reefed courses. Another ship on the right has already hit the rocks and is foundering. Her crew can be seen scrambling ashore with the towers and wall of a port visible on the far right, together with a statue on the rocks.

The artist was born in Zierikzee and so this work was a local commission. He was also a sculptor and silversmith and died in Amsterdam. The picture is inscribed on the floating barrel on the left, 'Pieter Vogelaer invent'.