A fishing boat, tossed by a breaking wave, struggles perilously close to the shore under a dark and turbulent sky. Two fishermen occupy the small vessel at the right foreground, one gripping the mast while the other, dressed in red trousers, leans forward as if bracing against the sea's force. The surf churns with white foam, its energy rendered in vigorous, curling brushstrokes that contrast with the smoother, golden sand of the beach in the lower left corner.

Beyond the main boat, another fishing craft heels dangerously in the wind, its ochre sail angled sharply as it rides the crest of a wave. The horizon is lined with the silhouettes of masts and a distant pier or breakwater, their verticals cutting through the stormy atmosphere. The palette is dominated by cool, stormy hues, with flashes of ochre and red providing dramatic accents against the prevailing gloom.

The surface of the painting reveals energetic, textured brushwork in the water and sky, capturing the movement of wind and waves. The composition draws the viewer’s attention to the struggle of the fishermen, set against the vastness of the sea and the threat of the approaching squall. The leftmost edge of the painting is framed by a stretch of wet, reflective sand, where the water has receded and left glistening patches.

The clouds are rendered with sweeping, blended strokes of grey, blue, and ochre, creating a layered effect that suggests depth and movement in the sky. Fine, dark lines suggest rigging and spars on the distant boats, contrasting with the broader, looser brushwork of the sea and clouds. The paint is thickly applied in places along the wave tops, creating a tactile, impasto texture that mimics the froth and spray of the breaking surf.