 The fleet consisted of six Spanish royal ships and six independent privateers; Colaert commanded the six-gun vessel "Crabbelcat" with a crew of 43 sailors.Leaving Dunkirk on the night of 9 or 10 August, the privateering expedition faced problems early on when two Flemish privateers, Sibrant Pietersen and Rippert Rippertsen, failed to rendezvous with the fleet on 11 August.Three days later, a fishing fleet under the protection of six warships was sighted off the coast of Scotland.