 In May, Rupert advanced to the Dutch coast with a superior force of 81 ships; De Ruyter, with 55 ships took up a defensive position in the Schooneveld.Rupert sent a light squadron toward the smaller Dutch fleet hoping either to tempt it into an unequal battle, or to force it to seek refuge in the naval port fortress of Hellevoetsluis, where it could be blocked while the transport fleet would be brought over to storm either Brill in Holland or Flushing on Walcheren in Zealand.De Ruyter attacked the light squadron very quickly, before the main allied fleet was in good order starting the First Battle of the Schooneveld.