Curse of Oak Island – Season 6

Season 6 – November 13, 2018 to April 30, 2019

• Episode 1, Rick’s Big Bang Theory (November 13, 2018). The Oak Island team discussed their ongoing treasure hunt, highlighting recent discoveries, including a lead cross and various artifacts that suggested historical significance. The team expressed excitement over the potential of seismic testing to uncover hidden structures beneath the Money Pit, with plans to conduct extensive scans using advanced technology. They outlined their strategy to build a large cofferdam at Smith’s Cove to facilitate deeper excavations and further exploration of the area. The episode concluded with a consensus on the importance of collaboration and the need to pursue additional testing and analysis of the artifacts found, particularly the lead cross, which may have connections to the Knights Templar. The team committed to moving forward with their plans and emphasized the significance of their findings in the context of the long-standing mystery surrounding Oak Island.
• Episode 2, Gold Rush (November 20, 2018). The Oak Island team reported the discovery of a second ornate brooch on Lot 21, featuring a red stone and possible gold gilding, alongside a previously found brooch containing a red gemstone. External gemological examination determined that the earlier stone was a hand-cut garnet, while the newly discovered red stone was leaded glass rather than a precious gem. However, the gemologist identified the newer brooch’s twisted-wire setting as an ancient manufacturing technique that may predate the fourteenth century, although additional research through specialist databases was recommended to establish a more definitive origin and date. Subsequent scanning electron microscope analysis at Saint Mary’s University confirmed that portions of the newer brooch contained gold, with the remainder including copper and brass, marking the team’s first verified gold artifact from the island. The team viewed the potentially early age and gold content of the brooch, together with earlier artifacts such as the lead cross, as evidence that activity on Oak Island may have occurred substantially earlier than previously assumed. Separately, Eagle Canada completed seismic data collection in the Money Pit area using controlled charges and geophone receivers to create a three-dimensional subsurface model extending roughly 150–200 feet deep; the team expected processed results within several weeks to identify potential tunnels, voids, or structures for future drilling. Finally, construction preparations advanced for the Smith’s Cove cofferdam project, including completion of a new access road, delivery of heavy equipment, and preparation of a crane platform. The planned 525-foot watertight barrier was intended to enable drainage and archaeological excavation of Smith’s Cove, with particular focus on locating surviving flood-tunnel infrastructure and recovering artifacts in a disciplined, archaeology-led investigation.
• Episode 3, Depth Perception (November 27, 2018). The Oak Island team reviewed Eagle Canada’s seismic-imaging results, which identified several high-priority subsurface anomalies. At the Mega Bin, the data indicated a large, approximately 50-meter-long anomaly at roughly 40–50 feet deep, bounded by strong reflectors and interpreted as a potentially competent, chamber-like structure. In the Money Pit area, seismic data suggested a deeper void or chamber at approximately 160–170 feet near boreholes C1 and H8, as well as a network of linear features around 100–110 feet deep that could warrant investigation as possible tunnels. Based on these results, the team decided to prioritize core-hole locations that could test both the shallower potential tunnel features and the deeper chamber target, beginning with location DE6. Concurrently, construction began on a 525-foot steel-sheet-pile cofferdam at Smith’s Cove, designed to reduce water seepage and enable controlled excavation within approximately three weeks. The team planned to expose the previously identified U-shaped wooden structure and trace potential box drains or flood tunnels toward the Money Pit. During sonic drilling at DE6, the team encountered horizontally oriented wood at approximately 93 feet, within the center of a seismic anomaly. Although the short interval and surrounding clay suggested the feature may be a collapsed tunnel, the team regarded the result as validation of the seismic data and planned to continue drilling deeper toward the identified chamber. Separately, metal-detection work on Lot 26 recovered a square-headed spike and a cargo-handling hook consistent with historical waterfront activity, supporting the possibility of a former landing, wharf, or boat-slip area. The team also recovered a pointed metal object interpreted as a possible crossbow bolt; while its age and origin required expert evaluation, members considered it potentially significant because crossbows predated colonial-era firearms.
• Episode 4, A Legacy Revealed (December 4, 2018). The team reviewed a metal artifact recovered from the beachfront on Lot 26 that was initially believed to be a crossbow bolt. Laboratory scanning electron microscopy at Saint Mary’s University confirmed that the object was iron and contained manganese, a result viewed as potentially consistent with ancient ironworking but not definitive for dating. An antiquities expert later assessed the artifact as more likely the upper portion of a Roman pilum, or throwing spear, potentially dating from the first century BC through the fifth century AD; the team regarded this assessment as highly significant but acknowledged that its presence on Oak Island remained unexplained and required further evaluation. At the Money Pit, drilling continued to investigate anomalies identified through seismic mapping, including potential tunnels, voids, and a large target near 170 feet. One borehole reached bedrock around 204–205 feet without intercepting its intended anomaly, prompting the team to move to other targets. A subsequent borehole, H7.5, produced material considered promising, including possible coconut fiber at approximately 160 feet and ax-cut wood near 170 feet, along with organic-rich sediment and unusual clasts. These findings were bagged for analysis and were seen as possible evidence of historical construction near the original Money Pit, though the team did not reach a firm conclusion about the subsurface structures or next excavation method. Separately, construction progressed on the 525-foot steel cofferdam at Smith’s Cove, with sheet piles being driven to bedrock to create a watertight work area for future exploration of the historic flood-tunnel system. The team also marked the death of researcher Zena Halpern and committed to continuing her work after Rick Lagina received her research collection, including maps, ciphers, notes, and materials related to the disputed Cremona document and possible Knights Templar connections. Rick and the team planned to organize, preserve, and examine these materials for leads relevant to the Oak Island investigation.
• Episode 5, Homecoming (December 11, 2018). The team advanced several parallel investigations at Oak Island. At the Money Pit, seismic data and coring operations at boreholes HI4 and IJ5.5 produced wood samples at depths consistent with historic underground workings, including the nineteenth-century Shaft 6 tunnel. Although drilling at HI4 was halted at 128 feet after finding limited additional evidence, the team concluded that the results warranted further exploration. At IJ5.5, a wooden beam at approximately 111 feet was considered potentially consistent with the side of the Shaft 6 tunnel; the team decided to drill in both westward and eastward directions to define the tunnel and assess whether it could lead to the original Money Pit or associated debris field. The group also established a dedicated Oak Island Research Center, using a donated prefabricated building to organize, study, and preserve the extensive collection inherited from the late researcher Zena Halpern. Rick Lagina proposed the center as a long-term resource for evaluating the accuracy and relevance of Halpern’s material, including the Cremona document and its alleged Templar voyage to the New World; the team committed to continuing her research legacy. On Lot 21, metal-detecting work recovered two matching fragments of a likely eighteenth-century French military cap or uniform badge featuring fleur-de-lis imagery. The find was viewed as possible physical support for theories involving the 1746 Duc d’Anville expedition and prompted further consideration of French activity on the island. Separately, construction of the Smith’s Cove cofferdam progressed, with roughly one-third of the sheet-pile barrier expected to be completed shortly; once sealed and drained, the area was planned for excavation to investigate historic artifacts and the possible flood-tunnel system. The team also discussed prior major finds, including human bone fragments and a medieval lead cross, with author Randall Sullivan, who was preparing a comprehensive book on the mystery. Finally, Zena Halpern’s son visited the research center, delivered a personal artifact associated with her work, and received assurance that her research would be maintained and further investigated.
• Episode 6, Precious Metal (December 18, 2018). The team continued construction of the 525-foot cofferdam at Smith’s Cove, designed to isolate the cove from the ocean so it could be drained and excavated for artifacts and possible flood-tunnel evidence. The group viewed the project as a major opportunity to conduct a more complete investigation than previous efforts, including those led by Dan Blankenship, whose earlier cofferdam work had revealed a 65-foot wooden structure before storms halted operations. In parallel, the team advanced scientific analysis of the lead cross recovered from Smith’s Cove. Geochemist Tobias Gavronik compared isotope data against mining databases and concluded that the lead was European rather than North American, likely pre-fifteenth century, and potentially sourced from a limited region near the Cévennes and Montagne Noire in southern France. Although the result did not establish the cross’s precise date or provenance, the team regarded it as significant evidence supporting the possibility of early European activity on Oak Island and agreed that Smith’s Cove warranted continued investigation. Drilling at the Megabin area tested a seismic anomaly interpreted as a possible chamber or void and sought evidence of historical underground features reported by Dan Blankenship. The drilling encountered a transition from dense clay to loose sand and ultimately reached bedrock near 100 feet, leading the team to conclude that the seismic anomaly was likely caused by differing soil densities rather than a chamber; they decided to discontinue that borehole and move on. The team also reviewed theories presented by researchers associated with Zena Halpern’s work, including claims that the Knights Templar may have used Oak Island to conceal religious relics and that Nolan’s Cross could encode the location of a side chamber near the Money Pit. While members found the hypotheses interesting, they noted that the original Money Pit’s exact location had been lost and that the proposed measurements could not yet be converted into a practical field target.
• Episode 7, Rock Solid (January 1, 2019). The team advanced its major Smith’s Cove excavation program by completing the steel cofferdam, acquiring and installing a large-scale wash plant to process excavated spoils, and preparing pumps and drainage systems to dewater the enclosed area. Initial inspections identified substantial water infiltration through sheet-pile seams and from upland groundwater, creating a risk to the project; following consultation with Irving Equipment, the team applied sealant, planned perimeter drainage trenches, and improved water control sufficiently to begin excavation. The dig was launched near the previously documented 1970s U-shaped wooden structure, with plans to use historical surveys, careful stratigraphic monitoring, and the wash plant to recover artifacts and potentially relocate the structure. Separately, metal detecting on newly cleared Lot 24 produced a musket ramrod, British military-related material, bone, pottery, and decorative ironwork. Archaeologist Laird Niven dated some pottery to approximately the 1780s, considered the clustered stones and artifacts potentially indicative of a filled feature, shaft, or tunnel, and initiated a controlled, permitted excavation process. Researchers also revisited the Halifax building where the 90-Foot Stone was last reported and recovered a heavy, rounded rectangular stone matching historical descriptions in dimensions, weight, location, and the remaining “L” and “N” markings; the team agreed to pursue expert geological assessment and high-resolution scanning to determine whether erased inscriptions could still be detected. In the war room, Dr. Travis Taylor reviewed seismic data and identified density anomalies at roughly 20–30 meters depth in the Money Pit area, while cautioning that the data could not distinguish voids from differing materials. He proposed radon testing as an additional method for locating subsurface cavities and presented an exploratory archaeoastronomical theory linking island locations to the Taurus constellation; field visits found notable boulders or stone features near several predicted points, but the team treated these as preliminary observations requiring GPS calibration and further corroboration.
• Episode 8, Unearthed (January 8, 2019). The Oak Island team advanced several parallel investigations intended to clarify the island’s historical underground works and identify possible evidence of treasure-related activity. At Smith’s Cove, the team used the newly installed cofferdam and wash plant to excavate and systematically process a large volume of material while targeting the U-shaped wooden structure first documented by Dan Blankenship in 1971. They established a careful excavation approach designed to expose the structure without damaging it, and recovered pottery, a hand-forged spike, a gold-colored encrusted object requiring further cleaning and analysis, and substantial wooden beams. Most significantly, they identified carved markings on wooden posts that appeared to include Roman numerals, including possible “7,” “3,” and “4” markings, which the team viewed as potentially corroborating historic accounts of the structure and as evidence that could help establish its construction date and purpose. Separately, sonic drilling near the suspected location of Shaft 6 initially produced inconclusive results, but ultimately encountered a substantial vertical piece of wood at the expected depth; the team concluded that this likely clipped the edge of a tunnel and agreed that the evidence from multiple datasets justified further geotechnical review and investigation of the area as a possible route toward the Money Pit debris field. At the research center, consultants conducted a high-resolution terrestrial LiDAR scan of a stone believed to be the legendary 90-foot stone, collecting approximately 40.5 million data points; the resulting 3D model was expected to be further processed to determine whether obscured man-made carvings or inscriptions could be identified. On Lot 24, archaeologist Laird Niven initiated a grid-based excavation of a previously unknown stone formation that may have been a cellar or other structure associated with Samuel Ball, recovering artifacts including clay pipe fragments and assessing the larger stones as possible structural remains.
• Episode 9, As Above, So Below (January 15, 2019). The Oak Island team continued extensive excavation at Smith’s Cove within a steel cofferdam, where it fully exposed a large U-shaped wooden structure containing hand-cut uprights, Roman numeral markings, intentionally packed blue clay, and no visible nails or spikes. The team considered whether the formation could have served as an early cofferdam used to support construction of the flood-tunnel system or whether it had been built by later searchers; archaeologist Laird Niven documented its dimensions and position before excavation proceeded within its boundaries. Further work uncovered additional buried planks, a substantial wooden wall, and stacked stones that may represent previously undocumented structures or elements of a French-drain system, prompting the team to proceed cautiously and preserve the features for assessment. Separately, consultants Rob and Ryan LaVenge presented 3D laser-scan results for a stone suspected to be the historic 90-foot stone; the scan identified deliberate, though worn, letter-like carvings, including an “L/N” feature and a faint “A” or “M,” but did not reveal the broader reported inscription. The team concluded that further testing was warranted and regarded the results as consistent with descriptions of the stone seen historically. At the Money Pit, sonic core drilling continued in an effort to define the location of the 1861 Shaft 6 tunnel and related collapse zone. Although drilling initially recovered disturbed material rather than definitive tunnel components, it later encountered approximately five feet of wood at the relevant depth, supporting the possibility that the borehole had entered collapse debris associated with Shaft 6 or the edge of the original Money Pit; the team indicated that the evidence strengthened the case for eventual targeted excavation. On nearby Apple Island, Jack Begley, Gary Drayton, and Tony investigated an astronomical star-map theory proposed by Dr. Travis Taylor. They located large boulders near the predicted position and detected multiple iron and nonferrous subsurface targets, but because the team’s license did not authorize digging on Apple Island, they agreed that government permission would be needed before conducting follow-up excavations.
• Episode 10, Fingers Made of Stone (January 22, 2019). The team advanced several interconnected investigations at Smith’s Cove and the Money Pit. At Smith’s Cove, excavators exposed substantial stone-and-timber features, including a U-shaped structure, possible walls, clay-packed areas, and a triangular opening formed by flat stones that appeared consistent with historic descriptions of stone box or “finger” drains. Coconut fiber was recovered near the feature, further supporting a potential connection to the documented flood-tunnel system. The team agreed to excavate cautiously and methodically, following the apparent alignment of the structure toward the Money Pit while preserving evidence that could clarify whether the works were original construction or later searcher activity. Separately, archival researchers reviewed historical records at the Chester Municipal Heritage Society and found an 1863 account describing five stone finger drains, each 66 feet long, arranged with specific dimensions and converging into a flood tunnel; they also located a 1936 diagram of a wood structure with Roman-numeral-like markings resembling recently uncovered features. These findings were shared with the field team and were considered useful benchmarks for measuring and interpreting the Smith’s Cove structures. At the Money Pit, gyroscopic surveys showed that a borehole had deviated materially from its surface location—approximately 8.7 feet east and 4 feet north overall—confirming the need to account for borehole drift when targeting suspected deep tunnels and future casing locations. Finally, the team examined a stone found near the Money Pit that displayed flat, seemingly worked surfaces and linear markings interpreted as potentially carved rather than natural. Geologist Terry Matheson considered the stone likely man-made, and the team decided to use laser-scanning and 3D modeling technology to enhance the markings and seek expert review in ancient scripts or carved languages.
• Episode 11, Wharfs and All (January 29, 2019). The team advanced parallel investigations at Smith’s Cove and the Money Pit. At Smith’s Cove, excavators uncovered additional sections of a complex wooden formation, including possible extensions of the previously documented L-shaped and U-shaped structures, clay-packed timbers, notched beams, and horizontal logs that may have formed a slipway or other substantial engineered installation. Archaeologist Laird Niven noted that the construction methods—including wooden pegs and an apparent lack of iron fasteners—appeared unusual for the region, and the group agreed to continue exposing the structures carefully, assess whether they shared a common construction period, and obtain dating evidence from the wood. Metal-detecting work nearby recovered a decorated lead object believed to be part of a bracelet, found close to the location of an earlier medieval lead cross; the team considered the artifact potentially significant and planned further examination. In the war room, specialists presented laser-scan analysis of a stone found near the Money Pit, identifying an unnaturally flat, worked surface and linear markings that could represent an inscription. The team considered a possible runic interpretation and followed up by comparing the stone with the controversial Yarmouth Runic Stone at a local museum. Although the comparison showed only limited similarities and did not establish a translation or origin, the team planned to submit the scan data to relevant experts for further analysis. For the Money Pit, the team reaffirmed its belief that the H8/H8-area shaft was a priority target, based on prior recovery of pottery, parchment, leather bookbinding, human remains, and evidence interpreted as a possible vault. They decided to use Rock Equipment’s oscillator, a large drilling caisson, crane support, and a hammer-grab tool to clear accumulated debris, raise the existing 50-inch caisson to approximately 170 feet, and attempt to recover material that may have been displaced during the prior season’s excavation. The agreed objective was to investigate the H8 shaft thoroughly while continuing drilling around the suspected Shaft 6 tunnel to better constrain the original Money Pit location.
• Episode 12, Slipway When Wet (February 5, 2019). The team continued its investigation of borehole H8 at the Money Pit, where it removed a compacted plug and raised the steel caisson to prepare for renewed hammer-grab excavation. Before proceeding, the team deployed an ROV-mounted sonar system to examine a seismic anomaly near 170 feet below ground. The scan appeared to identify a sharply defined, approximately 90-degree angular feature that the team considered potentially consistent with a man-made void or chamber; however, the ROV experienced a power and water-damage failure before the area could be fully assessed. The team decided to suspend the sonar operation, repair or replace the equipment as needed, and continue excavating H8 with the hammer-grab tool. At Smith’s Cove, excavation of the suspected slipway and associated structures continued, while metal detecting recovered a pointed metal object resembling a crossbow bolt or spear-tip fragment; the team planned scientific analysis to establish its composition, age, and context. Separately, a specialist in medieval scripts reviewed a carved stone found near the Money Pit and concluded that its markings were unlikely to be runes. She found that the regular carving pattern could resemble Gothic-era script but ultimately considered it more likely to be decorative work on an architectural stone; she requested additional imagery, contextual information, and 3D modeling for further assessment. The team also searched the surrounding area for additional fragments of the stone and recovered a coin- or token-like metal object requiring analysis. Finally, archaeologists uncovered an unrecorded concrete wall approximately eight feet below Smith’s Cove. Because the structure’s date, construction method, and relationship to nearby features were unknown, the team agreed to document it carefully, consult engineers, and limit excavation near the wall until its stability and significance could be evaluated.
• Episode 13, The Paper Chase (February 12, 2019). The team continued parallel investigations at Smith’s Cove and the Money Pit area. At Smith’s Cove, archaeologists uncovered a concrete wall approximately three feet beneath the ocean floor near a wooden slipway or dock structure; the wall contained two plugged, non-lead pipes with a rubber-like consistency. Team members considered whether the metal-free, underwater-setting concrete could represent an unusually old construction technique, while also recognizing that the pipes may have been later additions by nineteenth-century searchers. Veteran searcher Dan Blankenship could not identify the structure from prior work or records, reinforcing the need for archival research and physical dating. The group agreed that the slipway warranted further excavation, including sampling and carbon dating of its unfastened timbers, and that excavation beneath it could reveal earlier features. At the HH shaft in the Money Pit, the team adjusted the casing and used hammer grabs to retrieve material from roughly 168–194 feet deep, where they believed prior drilling may have displaced material associated with a possible vault. Spoils included wood fragments and several organic samples that appeared potentially consistent with leather, parchment, paper, or bone. The team preserved the materials separately and examined them under a digital microscope, observing fibrous textures, folds, and possible colored pigments; however, they concluded that specialist analysis was required to determine the materials’ composition, age, and whether any markings or pigments were historically significant. A further porous fragment was considered a possible bone specimen and was earmarked for expert review and potential testing. Investigative author Randall Sullivan presented research supporting the general historical basis of the Oak Island origin story and advanced a speculative Francis Bacon-related theory, including the possibility of underwater entrances and additional flood-tunnel systems beyond Smith’s Cove. The team treated these ideas as potential research leads rather than conclusions, noting an underexplored area near the island’s south shore. Overall, the meeting outcome was continued excavation and systematic evidence collection, with emphasis on obtaining expert dating and material analyses, investigating the Smith’s Cove slipway and structures, and using physical evidence rather than theory alone to establish the site’s history.
• Episode 14, Voyage to the Bottom of the Cenote (February 26, 2019). The team continued investigating major structures at Smith’s Cove, including wooden features, a possible slipway, walls, and a suspected stone box drain that could have been part of a seawater flood system connected to the Money Pit; however, the location of the proposed convergence point for the drains remained unconfirmed. Craig Tester and Jack Begley worked with the Center of Geographic Sciences on a systematic LiDAR and side-scan sonar survey of Oak Island’s southern waters to assess theories of an offshore flood-tunnel system. The preliminary survey identified several anomalies, including a depression potentially associated with historical “ice holes” and an angular object that may have been an anchor; the team planned to rely on post-processing before determining whether diving or further investigation was warranted. At the H8 borehole, laboratory testing found that one suspected bone/leather sample was iron-rich slag, while other suspected leather samples were plant material or bark. Two additional fragments were determined to be cellulose-based paper-like material, likely rag paper rather than parchment. A manuscript-restoration specialist concluded that the material could potentially have survived underground for centuries and identified possible red ink or pigment; subsequent microscopy suggested the pigment might be consistent with early ink, though dating and purpose remained inconclusive and required further specialized analysis. During spoil examination, the team also recovered a potentially maritime decking nail and organic material, which they considered potentially significant given the depth of the H8 shaft. Operations at H8 then faced a serious setback when subsidence developed around the shaft and expanded into a sizable sinkhole. Equipment operators halted oscillation work to reduce the risk of a larger collapse but determined that cautious excavation with a camera grab could continue initially. As the sinkhole grew to approximately 11 feet across and 8 feet deep, the team prioritized site safety, moved equipment away from the area, and agreed to await an engineering assessment before deciding whether and how work at the Money Pit could resume.
• Episode 15, Dye Harder (March 5, 2019). The team addressed a significant sinkhole around borehole H8 at the Money Pit, with engineering representatives emphasizing that the heavily disturbed ground and uncertain subsurface conditions presented serious safety risks. They decided to monitor the area closely and use a vibro hammer to settle and stabilize the casing and surrounding soil before proceeding with operations. At Smith’s Cove, the team continued excavating in search of additional stone box drains and their possible convergence point, which could indicate an engineered flood-tunnel system connected to the Money Pit; however, excavation did not immediately reveal further confirmed drains. Separately, a Center of Geographic Sciences survey of offshore waters identified possible seabed vents south of the swamp, along with other unusual features, including a hard, vertically oriented triangular anomaly that warranted future investigation. The principal operational outcome was a redesigned dye test: the team injected nontoxic fluorescent red dye and water into borehole C1, selected because it contained saltwater and appeared connected to the Money Pit’s subsurface hydrology. Monitoring was conducted by personnel onshore and offshore, boats, drones, and live video feeds. Despite an initial equipment issue involving a twisted high-pressure hose, the test proceeded successfully. Water emerging at Smith’s Cove became visibly orange-red and showed increased flow; subsequent fluorometer analysis of collected samples returned positive dye readings above the established threshold. The team concluded that the result provided strong evidence of a hydrological connection between borehole C1 in the Money Pit area and Smith’s Cove, potentially supporting the historic flood-tunnel theory. They agreed that the finding required replication and follow-up excavation beneath the crane-pad area at Smith’s Cove to trace the connection back toward its source.
• Episode 16, Detour (March 12, 2019). The team reviewed results from a dye test in which red-dyed seawater pumped into the C1 shaft was subsequently detected at Smith’s Cove, supporting the possibility of a connected, obstructed flood-tunnel system. They concluded that further excavation beneath the crane pad at Smith’s Cove was necessary to investigate the suspected convergence of stone box drains, while recognizing that this work required additional environmental approvals and an extension to retain the cofferdam. At Smith’s Cove, the team exposed and documented a large wooden slipway structure, which they considered unusually substantial and potentially associated with the historical movement of materials rather than ordinary boat access. Metal detecting and excavation produced several iron objects, including suspected spikes and a large hinge. Blacksmith Carmen Legge identified the smaller items as crib spikes, likely used to secure timbers in structures such as platforms, shafts, or tunnels, and estimated they could date from approximately 1650 to 1800. He assessed the large hinge as hand-worked, predating 1800 and potentially dating to the 1600s, and indicated that it supported a substantial structure. The team viewed these findings as possible evidence of significant pre-1795 activity at Smith’s Cove, although further analysis was required. In the Money Pit area, instability and collapse around borehole H8 forced the team to suspend excavation there for safety reasons; they decided to pursue access through Shaft 6 instead. A surveyor was tasked with georeferencing and overlaying historic maps, drill records, depths, and landmarks to improve confidence in the location and orientation of the Shaft 6 tunnel before field excavation. Separately, divers investigated offshore sonar anomalies on the southern shore. They confirmed a potentially significant triangular rock formation that appeared to align toward the Money Pit and planned additional bearing analysis, but a second target thought to be an anchor proved to be natural rocks. The team determined that the triangle formation warranted continued research as a possible marker or clue to an offshore flood-tunnel system.
• Episode 17, Clue or False? (March 19, 2019). The team advanced two primary investigations: the dismantling and excavation of a potentially centuries-old slipway at Smith’s Cove, and the targeted excavation of the Shaft Six area near the Money Pit. At Smith’s Cove, archaeologist Laird Niven oversaw the documented removal of slipway timbers to enable examination of material beneath the structure, while excavated soil was sent to the wash plant for sorting and metal detection. The team recovered iron fragments and a silver-colored coin, initially considered potentially consistent with an early Spanish real but noted to require further assessment; the coin’s milled edge indicated it could not predate approximately 1730. Geophysicist Mike West also conducted an EM61 survey after the site was cleared, identifying several subsurface anomalies, including a particularly large signal near the crane pad. The team concluded that further excavation beneath the pad could be necessary, subject to obtaining required permits. Separately, surveyor Steve Guptill consolidated historic records, drill data, and maps to identify a consensus location for Shaft Six and its associated tunnel. Based on this analysis, the team selected a casing location for the S6 excavation, targeting the presumed cross-tunnel between Shaft Six and the original Money Pit. As excavation progressed to roughly 118 feet, the team observed a transition to apparently undisturbed soil, recovered substantial hand-hewn timbers—including material believed to be oak—and identified possible collapse-related material. They also recovered leather-like fragments, an iron chain link, and a possible bone fragment from the S6 spoils. The team considered the materials potentially relevant to historic Money Pit construction or collapse activity but treated their origins as unconfirmed. They decided to preserve, document, and submit the leather and bone-like materials for specialist analysis, including potential radiocarbon and DNA testing, while continuing to process spoils and investigate the suspected tunnel and debris field.
• Episode 18, Heavy Metal (March 26, 2019). The team reviewed evidence from the Smith’s Cove dye test, which showed red dye introduced at the Money Pit emerging only at Smith’s Cove, strengthening their belief that a flood-tunnel system connected the two areas. With permits extended to retain the cofferdam but weather conditions worsening, Rick Lagina, Marty Lagina, Craig Tester, and colleagues decided to dismantle the crane pad and excavate beneath it to investigate a possible flood-tunnel convergence point. At the Money Pit, borehole S6 produced wood, sediment, glass, pottery, and a pipe fragment from significant depth; archaeologist Laird Niven dated some material, including Blue Willow pottery, to the early nineteenth century and later, while identifying a distinctive red-bodied stoneware fragment as potentially dating to the early 1700s. Although the artifacts supported evidence of prior human activity underground, S6 ultimately reached limestone bedrock below the anticipated debris field without locating the sought-after vault or definitive target. The team therefore agreed to terminate S6, recover its casing, and redirect efforts to a new nearby location, designated GG1, approximately six feet northwest of S6, based on survey data, historical shaft records, timber findings, and the possibility that the location could intersect the original Money Pit or related tunnels. Separately, Gary Drayton and Jack Begley recovered a decorative lead artifact on Lot 21, formerly associated with Daniel McGinnis. Laboratory analysis by geochemist Tobias Skowronek indicated that the artifact likely incorporated a medieval cloisonné-style decorative technique and that its lead-isotope signature matched the lead cross previously found at Smith’s Cove. The team regarded the shared source—an ancient lead mine in southern France—as a significant result warranting further investigation, while continuing both the Money Pit drilling program and Smith’s Cove excavation.
• Episode 19, Striking Distance (April 2, 2019). The Oak Island team continued investigating the Money Pit area, where excavation at borehole GG1 recovered substantial oak timbers and other wood fragments at depths exceeding 100 feet, along with unusually high oscillator torque that suggested contact with a hard underground object. Although the findings initially appeared consistent with historical descriptions of the Money Pit’s timber platforms, the team increasingly concluded that they may instead have intersected nineteenth-century searcher workings, including a possible Halifax Company tunnel. After drilling reached approximately 159 feet with limited additional wood or significant artifacts, Rick Lagina, Craig Tester, and the team decided to stop work at GG1 and move on. Separately, researcher and archaeoastronomer Rich Moats presented an analysis of Nolan’s Cross, proposing that its stone alignments functioned as a navigational map identifying potential target locations, with Site 3 identified as the highest-priority location for the original Money Pit shaft. The team accepted the coordinates and began a new 60-inch excavation at Site 3, where early work produced hand-cut timbers, including pieces displaying possible purple staining that the team associated with previously recovered material of potential historical significance. At Smith’s Cove, removal of the crane pad exposed flowing water marked by prior dye testing, buried planks, braces, and possible structural remains; the team considered whether these features could be associated with the historic flood-drain system or prior efforts to block it, and decided to continue careful excavation and metal detection. Progress at the Money Pit was subsequently halted when the union representing heavy-equipment operators initiated a strike over wage issues, creating the possibility of a multiweek delay near the end of the operating season. The team acknowledged the workers’ rights while noting the significant scheduling risk and planned to use the interruption to intensify Smith’s Cove work and evaluate additional theories.
• Episode 20, Short Days and Tall Knights (April 9, 2019). The team addressed an operators’ union strike that halted crane-dependent digging at the Money Pit during a narrowing pre-winter work window and potentially could last up to three weeks. Rather than suspend fieldwork, they agreed to redirect resources toward processing spoil material, continuing the Smith’s Cove excavation, and investigating other promising areas. At Smith’s Cove, excavation exposed a small wooden shaft or structure that Rick and Marty believed could relate to Robert Restall’s historic search work and possibly the island’s flood-control system. Water continued flowing through the area, and the team planned to compare the structure’s location with GPS records from an earlier red-dye test, which had indicated a connection between the Money Pit and Smith’s Cove. The team also decided to pursue dendrochronological testing of recovered timbers to establish when the various wooden walls, U- and L-shaped features, and possible slipway were constructed and to clarify whether they predated the 1795 discovery of the Money Pit. On the island’s western shore at Lot 1, metal detecting yielded eighteenth-century-style blue-glazed pottery and a likely gold-gilded cuff button resembling a prior Money Pit find, prompting plans for further shoreline searches. In the war room, researcher James McQuiston presented a theory linking Scottish Nova Scotia Baronets to Knights Templar legacies and a potentially substantial historic treasure; the team found his documented connections and references to treasure inventories, parchment, and prior island finds intriguing, while treating the proposal as a theory requiring further evidence. Following this discussion, Marty and Gary investigated an old stone well near the Money Pit on Lot 16. After obtaining archaeological approval, they removed its modern cap, detected metal targets inside, and recovered what appeared to be decorated lead, but groundwater rapidly refilled the spring-fed well. They paused the effort to develop a more effective pumping and excavation strategy, concluding that the well warranted further investigation.
• Episode 21, Seismic Matters (April 16, 2019). The team reviewed the disruption caused by a provincial crane-operator strike, which halted excavation at Site 3 and threatened the remaining two-week operating window before winter conditions made further work impractical. Rick, Marty, Craig, and other members agreed to prioritize completing the Smith’s Cove work while also proceeding with a seismic survey of the swamp, rather than ending the season immediately; the group planned to reassess whether to continue operations after reviewing results. Eagle Canada prepared and began a detailed swamp survey using 2,025 small explosive charges and approximately 4,000 geophones to map subsurface features at depths of roughly 15 to 85 feet, with the objective of identifying possible man-made structures, tunnels, or a potential access route to the Money Pit. The decision was informed in part by research suggesting that the swamp’s eastern side, including an area associated with prior nonferrous signals and flat stone features, could contain an entrance or passage. At Smith’s Cove, the excavation team uncovered additional wooden features, arranged stones, water flow, and iron-rich rock concentrations that could be associated with the historic stone box drains and their possible convergence into a flood tunnel. The most significant outcome came from dendrochronological analysis of recovered wood: the Smith’s Cove slipway was dated confidently to 1771, while samples from the U-shaped structure were dated to 1769. The team viewed these findings as strong evidence that substantial engineered construction occurred at Smith’s Cove approximately 25 years before the documented 1795 discovery of the Money Pit, supporting the conclusion that at least some features were not attributable to later treasure searchers.
• Episode 22, Lost and Founding (April 30, 2019). The team reviewed significant findings from the season’s excavation at Smith’s Cove, including wooden structures, walls, a slipway, and clay-packed boards that appeared engineered to manage or block water flow. Dendrochronological testing dated timber from the U-shaped structure and slipway to 1769, approximately 25 years before the reported discovery of the Money Pit, which substantially changed the team’s view that many structures might merely be remnants of prior search efforts. Further excavation revealed multiple parallel wooden walls and a possible sluice-like structure, but worsening weather, permit limitations, and the end of the operating season prevented the team from fully tracing the structures or determining whether they were part of an original flood-tunnel system, a deposit operation, or a later recovery effort. Separately, Eagle Canada completed a seismic survey of the swamp using controlled charges and geophone data; preliminary raw data quality was reported as strong, with processed results expected after several weeks, although actionable work would be deferred until the following season. The team also considered speculative historical connections among French families, the Duc d’Anville expedition, the Knights Templar, American Revolutionary figures, and a tree carving on the Evans Stone that was interpreted as potentially resembling the “Appeal to Heaven” flag; these theories were discussed as possible context rather than established evidence. In the final season review, participants agreed that the 1769 date and the concentration of substantial structures constituted evidence of significant pre-Money Pit activity on Oak Island. While the group could not determine conclusively whether a valuable deposit remained, the prevailing view was that the discoveries justified continued investigation, with Smith’s Cove and the seismic survey results identified as priorities for future work.