Hole In My Life

Chapter Three starts with a dated entry log, as Gantos records his voyage in the manner of a proper ship’s log. His first entry involves Hamilton throwing his film and the contents of Gantos’ wallet overboard; Gantos thinks of these things as souvenirs and Hamilton reminds him that they are smugglers: it’s evidence that can be used against them. Gantos fills the remaining chapters with emotional highs and lows. He has an adventure with a Japanese fishing trawler: Gantos swims over to request gas; he and the Japanese captain trade rum for sake, and Gantos relishes in an impressive dive and swim back to his own boat. Gantos and Hamilton reach land in Cape May, NJ, after evading the U.S. Coastguard. However, Gantos continues to smoke hash on board while Hamilton randomly shoots at cans. Gantos writes log entries about his fear of getting caught. Hamilton asserts: “You are afraid. […] [a]fraid of the punishment” (84). The seasoned criminal Hamilton forces Gantos to accept the fact that he lacks shame for committing a felony; Gantos’ fear exists because he knows he could get into trouble.