galleons. The Ottomans were sighted crossing the cape on August 10, sailing against the wind in a column formation. The Turkish ruse Steadfast, Ottoman admiral Seydi Ali ordered his fleet to maintain formation, sailing against the wind towards the Portuguese. As they closed in, the bombards of the forward Portuguese foists and the galleon Santa Cruz began exchanging shots with the leading Turkish galleys. At the last moment, Seydi Ali Reis ordered all of his galleys to turn to starboard towards land at the same time, thus avoiding the Portuguese ships, which were then unable to give chase because of the wind. The Ottomans successfully dodged a disfavourable encounter with the Portuguese and were now on their way towards Muscat. The Portuguese maneuver Taken by surprise, the Portuguese captains gathered aboard the flagship São Mateus to discuss how to catch up with the Turkish galleys. A suggestion was taken from an experienced Portuguese pilot, who claimed that winds blew eastwards by the Persian coast, and would allow them to speedily bounce back to the Omani coast ahead of the Turks. The Portuguese fleet sailed north, then east, and after a few days arrived back in Muscat where they got the news that the Turks had not yet sailed by. In the meantime, believing to have definitely left the Portuguese behind, the Turks advanced slowly against the wind, in order to give rest to the rowers, but always followed by Portuguese light oar craft from afar. The Portuguese waited for two or three days in Muscat, before setting out to meet the Turkish fleet by the nearby Cape Suadi. On the morning of August 25, the Turks once more sighted the same armada that Seydi Ali Reis thought to have eluded several days prior. The clash The Portuguese had now a more favourable westward wind, but because the Turks sailed so close to shore with their sails down, the Portuguese only sighted them at relatively short distance. As a result, they were unable to maneuver in time to prevent a few Ottoman galleys from sailing past them. The Portuguese flagship São Mateus was then the ship closest to shore and it seemed to be the best positioned to intercept the Turkish galleys. Unable to reach the galleys, however, it dropped anchor and immediately sounded its guns at the enemy fleet. Nine galleys slipped by under Portuguese fire, but the tenth was