At the hour of vespers, the doge, Pisani, and the other leaders of the expedition, attended mass in the church of Saint Mark, and then proceeded to their galleys, where all was now in readiness.
Pisani led the first division, which consisted of fourteen galleys.

The doge, assisted by Cavalli, commanded in the centre; and Corbaro brought up the rear, with ten large ships.

The night was beautifully bright and calm, a light and favourable breeze was blowing, and all Venice assembled to see the departure of the fleet.
Just after it passed through the passage of the Lido, a thick mist came on.

Pisani stamped up and down the deck impatiently.
"If this goes on, it will ruin us," he said.

"Instead of arriving in proper order at the mouth of the passages, and occupying them before the Genoese wake up to a sense of their danger, we shall get there one by one, they will take the alarm, and we shall have their whole fleet to deal with.