Howe did not know that the grain convoy passed through the same sea area in which the fleets had fought on 29 May. Villaret did know and detached Montagnard to strengthen its protection, while Admiral Nielly left escort duty to reinforce the battlefleet. Howe asked each captain whether his ship was ready after a night of repairs; Caesar alone reported that it was not. Fog prevented action on 30 May and gave both sides more time to restore their formations. When visibility returned, the arrival of fresh French ships and the departure of damaged ones made Villaret's fleet look less battered than the British expected.
Notable Point · 1:23:06-1:30:28
The convoy passes while both fleets recover
The grain convoy crossed the previous day's battle area while fog, repairs, reinforcements, and captains' readiness reports postponed another engagement.