In 1922, it was sold as a genuine Turner and the Davies sisters (Gwendoline and Margaret) spent £2,625 to buy it.

[1][2] Following the death of Gwendoline Davies, it was among seven works by Turner that were donated to the National Museum of Wales.

The evidence for the painting's authenticity was presented to Martin Butlin, the co-author of the Turner catalogue raisonné, who accepted that the work was genuine.

Philip Mould and Bendor Grosvenor were able to establish that the scene was in Kent and not on the Isle of Wight as had been previously believed.

The coastline depicted is believed to be at St Margaret's at Cliffe,[6] where the dangers posed to shipping by the Goodwin Sands have long been recognised.