Brueys anchors in the exposed Aboukir Bay

Brueys prefers orders and security, while Nelson is willing to take calculated risks. Rear Admiral Blanquet argues that the fleet would be safer cruising at sea, but Alexandria cannot hold both the warships and transports. Bonaparte intends the fleet to move toward Corfu, yet the message is intercepted before it reaches Brueys. The admiral therefore remains at Aboukir Bay, treating the anchorage as a defensible refuge. The broad indentation has no narrow entrance to protect the fleet and offers little more shelter than an ordinary stretch of coastline.