According to Genesis, what did Noah see after removing the Ark's covering?

According to Genesis, Noah saw that the ground was dry after removing the Ark's covering.

Genesis 8:13 says that in Noah's 601st year, on the first day of the first month, the waters had dried from the earth. Noah then removed the covering of the Ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. This is a later stage than the earlier report that the dove found an olive leaf.

The distinction matters because Genesis describes the waters receding in stages. The Ark comes to rest, mountain tops become visible, the raven and dove are sent out, and only later does Noah observe dry ground directly.

Noah does not immediately leave when he sees the dry surface. Genesis says he waits until God tells him to go out, showing that the narrative separates Noah's observation from the command to disembark.