Amid the escalating tempest, the layered, towering waves of the Stormy Ocean gradually built up into a seemingly endless chain of rolling hills upon the sea.
As waves breached their peaks, the seafoam whipped up by the wind twisted like countless white serpents surging atop the wave crests.
"Wind from the north, force seven, speed 32 knots, starboard Qiangfeng—close-hauled! Secure the T."
"Port Qiangfeng—close-hauled! Secure the T."
In the instant they spotted each other, Byron and Pizarro simultaneously issued the same command.
The two warships, like elegantly dancing partners, one to the east and one to the west, began to simultaneously Qiangfeng in the massive waves, ready to seize the weather gauge at the first opportunity.
The Golden Deer's mixed sail configuration, with both square and fore-and-aft sails, made it far more efficient at 'zigzag' Qiangfeng than ships solely rigged with square sails.
