"Are you all right, Captain Nikolas?" he shouted. "Holy Moses, your face is black! Let me see, let me … " He gently touched Nikolas's face. "Oh my God! My God!"
He led Nikolas by the hand on the deck. Nikolas welcomed the cool sea breeze on his still burning skin. He lay face up on the deck as Adoni placed wet towels on his face. Without engine power, the experienced Yanni skillfully kept the boat on course, using only the sails.
"You are now in charge of this ship,
Yanni."
"Thank you, sir. If the winds hold steady and there are no storms on our way, we'll be fine. We must take you to a doctor immediately."
"I can hardly see, Yanni. My eyes are damaged."
"I will send an S.O.S. signal, sir."
"No, Yanni, no need to."
"Don't forget you put me in charge, sir."
With that Yanni sent an S.O.S. message to all ships in the area, the location given to them being somewhere between Santorini and Pholegandros. Then Yanni and Adoni lowered the sails and waited. The medical kit on the boat had nothing for severe burns like Nikolas's. If not treated soon, Nikolas could go into shock. As predicted, the weather turned bad. Sudden gales from the north came without warning, raising the swells up to three meters high, pouring water on the ship's deck. The three men had trouble standing up as the ship was at the mercy of the wild wind and turbulent sea.
Nikolas withstood the excruciating pain as the salty water splashed on his face.
"Raise the main sail!" he ordered. "I know it's almost impossible, but you can do it." He paused. "God, I can't see anything. Oh, my God! I am blind!" Nikolas whispered to himself as he moaned from the pain. He raised his head. "Adoni, do you see lights in any direction?"
Adoni looked around. "Yes, sir, I do. North, about ten nautical miles from here." He looked again. "No, no it is not Santorini. Santorini must be south of here ... That leaves us with the islands Ios, Sikinos, or
Pholegandros ... I wouldn't bet my life on it, but it must be the last of the three."
"The rocky island!" said Nikolas in a low voice. "I'll hold the wheel. Yanni, you man the sails. Adoni, you stay with me and be my eyes and ears."
"Aye-aye, sir," answered both men with one voice. The closer the faint light became, the higher it seemed to be. "To the left, Captain! Careful! We are going to crash!"
***
It was thirteen minutes past midnight when an explosion blew a large opening in the hull of the ship. As water rushed into the interior, another larger explosion tore the boat in half. The sea quickly consumed everything. None of the men were wearing life jackets.