The sketchbook was used by Turner en route for Edinburgh in 1801, including sketches of Rievaulx, the Bass Rock and Tantallon Castle; the drawings are mostly in pencil with scraping out, with occasional use of brown wash and white bodycolour.

The drawing shown is one of a series of studies of waves on ff. 109r-16v. This drawing appears to be related to the painting known as 'The Wave’ executed for Samuel Dobree in 1802 and now in Southampton Art Gallery. Similar studies of breakers, with a fishingboat, occur in the 'Calais Pier' sketchbook (No.89), ff.84-7 etc. with the inscription 'Mr. Dobree's Lee Shore'.