What a terrible voyage for the sailors. You've provided some interesting facts about the effects on the body of dehydration throughout the story, @rayt2, along with palpable drama and despair. The story arc, ending with the men choosing to save the lives of their fellow sailors, vs. grabbing for gold, is well done.
Thank you for sharing your story in The Ink Well, and for engaging with other writers' work by reading and commenting on their stories!