The Curse of Oak Island (2014) s04e15 Episode Script

1
Tonight on the curse of Oak Island
we are third to zero in on something a
special two-hour season finale we were
on things come up
the tech is going on
ten years of planning yes four years of
digging
we think we found in man-made chamber
deep in the money pit
finally pays off
there is an island in the North Atlantic
where people have been looking for an
incredible treasure for more than 200
years so far they have found bits of
gold chain a stone slab with strange
symbols carved into it
even a 17th century Spanish coin
today six men have died trying to solve
the mystery
according to legend
one more will have to die
before the treasure can be found
for Rick and Marty lagina the stakes
couldn't be higher
so far this year they along with their
partners have spent hundreds of hours
and millions of dollars in an effort to
solve the Oak Island mystery once and
I keep I'm thinking we're gonna run out
of wood
load after load foods are coming up
coming up
yeah for about five six that are all we
dumped already dumped one love so far
they have completed excavating three
massive holes in an effort to find the
mysterious treasure vault although each
location did yield a number of important
clues
no one of this is part of the money pit
the original money pit
the team's enormous frustration over the
failure of their third hole prompted a
rare emotional confrontation between
Rick and his brother Marty there has to
be and enough see enough maybe we're
done with the money pit no I'm
interested going to the southwest and
then we continue pushing a hold on you
want to do this yeah I do I'm kind of
feeling shifted towards doing it but you
know what I think the final position of
this one should be yours nobody deserves
that more than you it is as simple as
that
you do it together
the result was gal 1 which was named
after Rick and Marty's parents for them
it symbolizes not only their bond as
brothers but also their determination to
honor the sacrifices of everyone who has
helped make their childhood dream a
reality
Charles well in the tester well we
decided to name it after our parents so
rather than just the lagina and well we
decided to call it the George and an
lagina and well and I think our sisters
would be happy with it as well yeah
unfortunately gal one is the last hole
that will be dug on Oak Island this year
these are the partners have spent well
beyond their engineering budget and
another harsh Nova Scotia winter is only
a few weeks away actionable information
has to come from that hole is that
simple you have to find something
underground we want answers Rick wants
answers I would like answers so we're
moving forward we're down to the debt
where that we went to the I think of
shaft number six they went to 118 and
then went across and right and they had
the big cave-in so I think that's the
one we're seeing right here
in 1861 a team of treasure hunters dug a
large shaft 18 feet west of the original
money pit known simply as shaft number
six it was excavated to a depth of 118
feet in an effort to come in underneath
what they hoped would be a treasure
vault unfortunately as the tea began
tunneling eastward toward the money pit
they hid a booby-trapped flood tunnels
which inundated the shaft with seawater
but even worse was what happened a few
days later when several loud crashes
were hurt underground indicating that
the wooden Timbers of shaft number six
along with the wooden cribbing inside
the money pit had collapsed and most
likely created a cave-in of the treasure
vault one which would have scattered its
precious contents into other areas deep
below ground
the money pit collapsed towards shop
number six that's the debris field
that's what I'm looking for we need to
take a good hard look at all spoil so as
I come up and metal detect you know go
through it physically because it could
be anywhere with from 85 feet give or
take to 118
I think it's the tunnel searcher tunnel
so we gotta get the bottom of the
tunnels where the treasure blew out
they'd be sitting on the bottom
yeah because they came Donald and then
went over but when we go out of the wood
we shouldn't bring it you should be
bringing something up if the gal one
exploration hole has breached shaft
number six could the team really be just
a few feet away from the original money
pit did you get some depth yes sir our
119 with the casing and 114 with the
hole
I live down the step so Rick
at this point with the wood you see
coming up are you concerned at all about
that is that I was initially because you
know we're getting raw material which is
hand-hewn
comes on the side of a shaft the only
definitive statement you can make is
when you
it's like hunting for a treasure galleon
and the ship wrecked or was lost there's
a scatter of clues across the ocean
floor we could basically have the same
thing going on
where did it go
information is up in the Spoils
they're up there 130 yeah I want to see
one more
always one more
as the steel caisson continues to grind
its weight even lower into the possible
treasure site just a few hundred feet
away on lot 18 Marty lagina along with
Charles Barkhouse and metal detection
expert Gary Drayton are searching
through the spoils that have recently
been removed from Gao on this area all
the peaks
this stuff is incredibly hard to shovel
and so I'm basically just using the
teeth of the backhoe to to shuttle it
back and forth the depth of
investigation of his metal detector is
only about 1218 inches so if you have a
two foot violator you're missing you
know almost a foot of material
that's how tuber should we try digging
in there Miyoung
and the cool fine Charles
was it looks like a sailcloth needle
tonight really that looks like
double-ended that's like it I mean
obviously it's made in that shape that's
cool Marnie Gary thinks he found a
sailcloth needle really yep sailing
cloth needle it would have been made out
of iron and obviously they would have
wrapped the Fred around it use it for
sewing canvas sails put the last the
last one through the dead man - yeah
yeah that's the way it goes they call it
a dead man's stitch or something just to
see if he was alive before they threw
him overboard during the period from the
15th to the 18th century it was
customary for a man who died while
aboard a sailing ship to be buried at
sea
dead men's body would often be sewn into
his hammock with the last ditch made
through his nose or his lips to make
sure he was deceased
good the sailcloth Neal found buried in
the money pit area be further evidence
that a large sailing ship was once used
to bring something of great value to Oak
Island centuries ago the reason why
Geary is here of course is because he's
he's eminently capable with that MindLab
CTX 3030 metal detector let's find some
gold
agreed my whole thing about the alcohol
is that hopefully we're in the debris
field if we are then we need him to find
something if it's there Gary a find the
decent sound and target here yeah
underneath that pile there and if you
could dump it here it would be great
yeah gave me through that stuff
it's something
I found the coin
the gold coin right this I gotta see
we've got coin I found the coin come on
whoa the gold coin yes a gold coin could
this be the first solid evidence that an
incredible treasure still lies buried
deep within the Oak Island money pit
oh let's get some marks on the side see
okay
there is wording around the outside of
it yeah
there is a there's writing on the
outside when you say my eyes are
horrible I can't know all right this I
gotta see
yeah honest to god a coin this I think
so hard a cone or a bullet I'm just
marking around the inside Marty look
that you say it failed friendships go
out the window that's right this one
some info
I think it says plated how would that
mean
it says play it it's a boat what's it
doing deep in the money pit
almost the untapped it it's it's highly
meaningful it's something out of place
it's in the money pit very deep in an
area where it shouldn't be
well maybe that is a button well I don't
know I mean the reason you think it's a
button is because it looks like there's
two like a little dimple in the booty
not doesn't go through yeah the officers
back in the day in the Army in the Navy
in the seventeen and eighteen hundred's
they used to wear nice gold-plated
buttons there and if it's a button it's
a couple a gold-plated British military
button possibly dating to the 18th
century could this be further evidence
of British military activity on Oak
Island in the years before the money pit
was first discovered in 1795
holy smokes Wow
earlier this year while searching an
area of the island that was once owned
by a former American slave named Samuel
ball the team found a number of 18th
century British coins buckles and other
artifacts now we've got start putting
things together we've got a bottom we've
got coins and this may be this is some
kind of camp
we are certain to zero in on something
something happening here of substance in
the mid 1700s Fred Nolan felt that the
money pit was engineered that it was
done by a disciplined group of
individuals you know where are you gonna
go who has all of those capabilities if
you go at that time it would be military
if that little gold button predates the
discovery of the money pit then yeah it
is the most important thing to go to the
money pit since well maybe ever well the
fact that you found it we're able to
find like that you found it is what's
amazing well you guys invited me to yeah
true do you said you'd find gold by God
you were supposed to find a tiny bit
more than that but that's okay
later that day as the excavation
continues at the gaol one work site Rick
Marty and members of the team take time
out to welcome back two very special
visitors visitors who have a profound
historical connection to both Oak Island
and the infamous money pit
under such
circumstances but walking back sisters
gene and Joan McGinnis are direct
descendants of Daniel McGinnis one of
the three young men who first discovered
the money pit in 1795
according to legend McGinnis and two of
his friends were standing on the
mainland when they spotted strange
flickering lights on the eastern side of
the island making their way across
Mahone Bay in a small boat they quickly
followed the lights to the base of a
large oak tree once there McGinnis and
his friends spotted an old pulley
hanging from a branch and at the base of
the tree was a large circular
indentation as if the ground had been
disturbed by the digging of home knowing
the area to have been frequented by
Spanish and Portuguese pirates the boys
began to dig looking feverishly for
pirate treasure for days and weeks they
dug but were repeatedly astonished to
find layers of wooden planks carefully
laid at intervals of 10 feet
now I've been told they found three
treasure chests
really really last year Joan gene and
their younger sister Joyce journey to
the island in order to share an
incredible family secret this is one of
the stories we were told as children
Grandpa Daniel five generations ago he
noticed the depression in the ground so
he and his two friends started digging
they found three treasure chests and
what is in this box is one of the things
that came from that chest
oh my goodness
that is quite extraordinary
you know it seems seems like far longer
than a year since you were last year and
you know we appreciate you coming back
well I I love this place
it draws me it has a hold on me it's
like coming home unfortunately today's
visit by the McGinnis family is
overshadowed by sadness in the year
since their last visit Joan and jeans
younger sister Joyce lost her long
battle with cancer and to honor her
memory Rick Marty and the team have
arranged for gene and Joan to return to
Oak Island in order to offer her a
special tribute
what is it I had choices ashes some
choice analysis blowing five mmm it's
beautiful a real pretty colors in it
okay so ladies I think why don't we go
to the McGinnis foundation and we have
this memorial for Joyce okay on the
western end of Oak Island Rick and
members of the team arrived with Joan
and Jean at the site of the old McGinnis
family foundation built by Daniel
McGinnis in the early 1800s so that he
could live there while searching for
treasure
having the McGinnis sisters come back on
a personal note they're part of this
magic place if you will a story place so
to have them come back even though
albeit it's under some sad circumstances
they're part of the Oak Island family
and
and I welcome them back so ladies this
is obviously the McGinnis foundation and
so why don't we walk down inside and
then you can pick a stone where you'd
like to place it good you don't if you
want to wait there I'll come back up and
get you how's that thank you
for Oak Island historians the McGinnis
foundation is considered hallowed ground
it is so important in fact that the
Canadian government has declared it
strictly off-limits
unless special permissions are obtained
for me my thoughts when I step down into
the foundation is how committed everyone
that has preceded us have been they
built a life around this mystery and it
remains today two centuries later that
connection remains I think if you'd like
there's a perfect place of concealment
and and place of safety right there if
you'd like this it should go all the way
to the back I think you might want John
you might want to hold it
unfortunately for Rick lagina the recent
death of Joyce McGinnis is not the only
loss he has suffered this year last June
he received the tragic news that one of
his Oak Island heroes Fred Nolan passed
away how many years this map represents
4050 years
there is much loss associated with
Fred's passing but it he lived the
wonderful life he pursued his passion he
contributed to the history of this place
I was and am currently still saddened by
his passing he will not be forgotten
it's a lovely thing he does time flies
Suns rise and shadows fall love is
forever overall she was my best friend
I'll be missing her it's very lovely
she's hot now
it was a touching moment leaving on the
island a memento of their sister is
obviously important to them and we're
willing participants in that it's
important to them thus it's important to
us
yeah we're just going to turn around and
we'll head back to the museum okay okay
John I think we're all excited I think
we finally finally maybe after all these
years we're gonna get some answers so
Jean I take it that's the cross why
don't we go in at the Oak Island visitor
center Rick lagina and members of the
team have arranged for Joan and Jean
McGinnis to have expert analysis
conducted on the gold cross they believe
Daniel McGinnis found in the money pit
more than two centuries ago dr. Lori
Bergeron is an internationally renowned
art and antiquities expert and former
professor of art history at Pennsylvania
State University for nearly two decades
she has studied and identified ancient
artifacts from all over the world Jean
and Joan kind enough to bring the
signature item related to Oak Island law
history and of course that is the cross
we all want answers hoping that you can
weigh in on this and enlightens well
let's see what we've got
yeah you really do have something very
interesting here ladies what we're
looking at here of course is a gold
cross of high carat weight probably
between 22 and 24 carats what you have
here is rose gold it's a Christian cross
in many ways it's very Spanish colonial
which indicates that it was proudly cast
in the Spanish colonies which were known
as the Spanish Indies at that time
Mexico Peru areas like that
the piece dates between 1550 and 1700
the fact that it is irregularly shaped
indicates that it was cast into a mold
you see all the holes the holes were for
emeralds then would it be your
contention then that they were pried out
pried out knocked out oldest oft so it's
easier to get it out of a piece of gold
that I might be able to get it out of a
different metal there's a definite front
and a back based upon the information
she was providing then you could see
little marks on the back you can
definitely see that well I wish I had it
when it was packed with emeralds but at
least David see you know
and what I know the the incan the South
American emeralds were always still are
the very bad eyes
the possibility that what lies deep
below the surface of Oak Island is a
vast Spanish treasure hoard originally
stolen from the ancient Inca is a notion
that has been widely held by many Oak
Island enthusiasts most notably veteran
treasure hunters dan Blankenship and
Fred Nolan they believe the treasure may
have been buried there by the Spanish as
early as the 1500s or by the British who
may have stolen it from the Spanish
after the Battle of Havana in 1762 could
this small gold cross reportedly found
in the money pit back in 1795 be proof
that Dan and Fred's theory is true it's
a wonderful fantastic piece of history
and one which has become really the
object of objects here on Oak Island yes
this is our latest that's part of the
miracle that it even survived yeah you
have our utmost respect and thank you
for for bringing a significant object
forward and and to tell the story of the
McGinnis family as relates Oak Island
anyway thank you
dr. Lurie here's a few other items that
wanted you to take a look at okay in
addition to the gold cross the team is
hoping dr. Lori Verteron can also help
identify some of the other interesting
items discovered on the island earlier
this year I think you'll find that quite
interesting
okay now this particular piece this is
an 18th century tag well it's his ball
right here on this test at one time was
actually owned by Samuel ball skip slave
who fought in the Revolutionary War when
did he come here 1783 when New York was
evacuated he came with the British Army
I mean the fact that the Samuel ball
came here and you know he made a
wonderful life for himself on the island
there's there's a possibility that he
may have found something I don't got and
that's how maybe how he acquired as well
that's fascinating terrific great piece
of history and one other one other piece
here dr. Lurie and this is a spike
look at that's nice earlier this year
metal detection expert Gary Drayton
along with Jack Begley and Alex lagina
made an intriguing find in the Oak
Island swamp
that is old it's an unmade spike that's
pretty good yeah
those who believe that the Oak Island
treasure is actually comprised of stolen
artifacts from Central and South America
have long theorized that the objects
were brought to the island in the hold
of a large sailing vessel
after unloading its precious cargo the
ship was likely sailed to the middle of
a narrow channel that divided the east
and west sides of the island then two
large copper dams were most likely
constructed and the seawater drained so
that all evidence of the ship could be
concealed in what would be a man-made
swamp the very same body of water that
still exists on Oak Island to this day
could the spike and the fact that it was
found in the swamp be evidence that this
audacious theory is correct well now
this I have to look into some more any
ideas off the top of your head what it
could be I have lots of thoughts
swirling around I'm gonna take a little
bit of time to look at three into this
fair enough that good for you guys
absolutely yeah she had not been amused
by any of these artifacts she she spun
them off as quickly as they were
presented to her when she declines to
make any sort of statement about the
spike yeah of course it's very
interesting we don't have a significant
Spanish connection we now have a British
military connection and a complete
unknown yeah at least currently and so I
think it's been a really good date but
but but as we all know the thing is is
that there are more questions yeah dr.
Laurie thank you very much we appreciate
all your efforts my pleasure you know
without you we'd be guessing it's been
now we are not thank you so a couple
days and I'll get back to the fact
you're intrigued yeah I think we're not
all
one day after the emotional and
informative visit to Oak Island
my sister's Jean and Joan McGinnis
morning guys all right Marty lagina
arrives at the money pit site to check
on the progress of this year's fourth
and final exploration shaft gal Juan all
right talk to me where we are what are
we doing what do we got
we're 151 feet with the casing 150 feet
of the estimation we got out of that
cement like bra okay and then we got
into two buckets of pure pure clay I'd
be good and then we got into kind of
some silky sandy clay and then fragments
of wood fragments some full chunks like
6x6 we got into 20 feet of clay which
would indicate back to normal Oak Island
conditions and then more wood which of
course gets our interest level on yeah
okay well we're past what Rick's
objective which was the debris field so
now we're looking for the Chappell vault
the Blair vault but everyone call
I think we keep on hitting the edge of
the trouble sir I think it's
we would be by all accounts right at the
top of the wall yeah
it was at a depth of 153 feet back in
1897 that treasure hunters William
Chappell and Frederick Blair drilled
into what they believed to be a seven
foot high wooden vault but what made the
find even more exciting was that when
they examined their drill bit
it appeared to contain small bits of
gold unfortunately when chaplain Blair
later duck an enormous shaft in an
effort to retrieve the vault the entire
area flooded with water and collapsed
and the vault has been lost ever since
earlier this year Rick Marty and the
team believe they'd identified the
location of the Lost Chappell vault they
soon became bitterly disappointed
however after learning that what they
had found was a searcher shaft dug by
William chapels son Melbourne during his
attempt to find the mysterious wooden
vault back in 1931
do you think this is searcher as opposed
to original depositor in all probability
just by the texture of it it's probably
part of chakra shaft
well maybe the Chappell chef just missed
the capital
keep digging keep digging Thanks
we're on hole number four I had said
before it's three strikes near oh you
know we got an extra strike here and
this this particular game so we're
digging it we're still searching for
that elusive fault after their recent
find of an 18th century British military
button Jack Begley and metal detection
expert Gary Drayton are more determined
than ever to search the gaol one spoils
for possible artifacts
good to see you Dave okay this should be
good we're finally getting spoils that
are at the depth where there could be
treasure and so it's exciting
as you're running the metal detector
over the pile you're just waiting to
hear some sort of precious metal ding
because you're always hopeful that
you're gonna find something good it's
the money
sounds good liar yeah got annoying
reading but it's must be something
substantial it's like a big piece of
iron
there's reading about 6 inches you might
this is the last pilot came out so no a
distinct it there's a little bit the
squeaky signal yeah it's probably deep
on the other part yeah
what's dig everything so we're breathing
the heck is they almost looks hammered
that's weird
Wow look and it looks like it's got a
square hole in it what oh you see that
looks like a square hole from the nail a
square nail I think you might be right
I mean look at the way it's punched out
this side it's the same kind of deal
yeah you're right
that's a definitely old with a square
hole in that yeah it's not a uniform
width or depth either prior to 1800 iron
nails tended to be hand forged by
blacksmiths and often tapered into
square shafts but what then was the
purpose of this mysterious metal object
could gary and jack have just found
another important piece of evidence okay
let's try this pile if these don't look
like they've been detected as Jack and
Gary resumes searching the gaol one
shaft spoils for clues operations at the
mud pit site continue
big bro let's go see what's going on
that's the biggest piece we pulled up
the wall
the machine and no it's not none of this
is machine you can definitely has a very
strong smell to it
is that five inches
what is it
where'd it come from
now we have to get the items cleaned
look that dated clean all the
information we can perhaps then you can
make a determination or an assessment of
what this may imply
come on
take it apart right now
they're a lot bigger feet
the fire oscillator
might we be in the area of the fault in
finding this structure it could answer
the questions that have driven me since
I was a little boy might answer the who
might answer the win and it might answer
the hollow it's big it's it's huge villa
hill
present maybe
here dude I'd be like a black tire
something to use
it's possible the real ancient people's
if they dug here maybe they dipped it in
pine tar or something I don't know but
it has a bit of a hydrocarbon spell and
it's very black it looks different than
the Timbers from above pine tar is a
sticky substance which has been used for
centuries
not only as a wood preservative but also
as a sealant to protect the contents of
wooden structures from water
where should the vault have been right
here if these are the verticals while
we're coming down a corner
I think these things are sitting
horizontal because the that's where the
quick of that that's where it's digging
through
drive yourself crazy thinking of the
possibilities it could be a timber group
you know I agree but I want to see it I
just say we keep advancing
what are you tearing up a house down
there Thanks good morning morning dear
aside from finding a gold-plated button
and several old wooden Timbers the
team's last-ditch effort to locate the
original money pit as so far yielded
only modest results
first we go through wood then there's a
Boyd if you will or a lack of wood and
then we're back into wood and then we
come out of it again it shouldn't be
layers of tongues but again the money
pit is almost a complete unknown in
which tunnels lead where what company
did it were they encrypt were they roof
were they floored I mean very very
little information about the money pit
in general
one coming from tell me man tell me
having worked on Oak Island for more
than 40 years Dave Blankenship has
extensive knowledge concerning every
aspect of Oak Island and the 221 year
old mystery bucket nobody knows what's
down there no
no father doesn't Fred did nobody can
look down there
it's not snow I would say that's top
face roof really
what
the smell
metal found some 150 feet deep
underground
could the team have just discovered a
piece of a long-lost Chappell vault
have they found something else perhaps
something even more incredible we're
getting tin now turn the roof off now
what are you doing to us here Rick yes
seeing what you can drill through I have
no idea what the metal means we were all
surprised I think we all said at the
same time what's that
I can't even articulate a proper
response metal from that depth it's
strangely modeled metal almost like it's
hand hammered it has that look to it
heavier than you think yeah it is
everything
day but they might be using it for
I'm just wondering Dave the pumps they
put down there
did they put any kind of covers around
the pumps so that I know of that has no
business of being down there that I know
let's get my brother's ball film about
the medal
hey Marty we've brought up some pretty
big sheet of metals probably a foot and
a half by a foot and a half no it's a
bit baffling so why don't you come on up
which is interesting
they've always said well charcoal being
down there various levels with that
could you misinterpret that is charcoal
this is that huge chunk of it
Terkel
in 1804 as members of the Onslow company
began excavating the money pit they
reported finding large amounts of
charcoal at a depth of approximately 30
feet the searchers speculated that they
had found evidence of an old furnace
which would have been used to draw air
down into the pit for the workers who
constructed the original treasure vaults
is it possible that the strange pieces
of metal the team is pulling up from the
bottom of the galones shaft are the
remains of an abandoned searcher furnace
we should have this look at it we've
found intriguing objects metal the
charcoal like rocks I'll call them
there's enough clues if you will there
to say we've got to explore this further
this is that you grab it don't grab that
piece heavier than it looks isn't Wow
now that does not look modern do we know
what precise depth this came from you
01:54
a metal plate discovered 154 feet deep
in the money pit area
it was almost at the same depth that
treasure hunters William Chappell and
Frederick Blair reported finding
evidence of a seven-foot high wooden
vault back in 1897 but when they tried
to drill deeper they're drilled it was
stopped by what they thought was a
mysterious metal plate located some 171
feet underground but the metal object or
Dinah's found actually be a piece of
this plate or does it suggest that much
of what they believed about the Chappell
vault was only partly true described
well it could be the impenetrable thing
where the auger bit stopped
couldn't it that's where they couldn't
get through something it's within a few
feet yeah so we have torqued that with
the oscillator you cannot move it left
to right it anymore the emotions that
gal won have suddenly turned serious
it seems the drilling caisson has come
upon a metal object that it cannot
penetrate
there's too much negative skin friction
on the ball that actually turned it any
more
oh wait a minute we're like on the verge
of something exciting and we're
we have torque that with the oscillator
what does that mean to you
that means they can't go further with
the case here
it is a tense situation on Oak Island
after finding large pieces of a
mysterious metal in the exploration
shaft known as gal one the massive 58
ton steel drilling caisson has hit what
seems to be an impenetrable metal object
at a depth of approximately 154 feet the
casing is Stockton the oscillator cake
will be donated for so that's very
disturbing is it possible that Rick
Marty Craig and the team have found the
same large metal obstruction that
treasure hunter William Chappell
described back in 1897 could the team
have located an actual treasure vault
and really what might be happening is if
there is bedrock that we were commenting
on he's pushing on the rock and trying
to turn it then you got the negative
skin friction working against it is
there any way we can get any deeper than
where we are right now yeah it's
possible
the key could advance another five feet
and we could hammer grab another five
feet that'd be ideal
so one now and chisel past the underside
of the can break up all we can get and
go in with a smaller graph and pluck it
whatever broke up okay let's see how
this works good
in an effort to penetrate the metal
obstruction the team has decided to use
what is known as a chisel bet a four-ton
column made of steel it will be used as
a type of vertical battering ram
alternatively raised and lowered until
the object in its path can be removed
if for some reason the chisel bit cannot
break through the entire money pit
operation on Oak Island may just
literally have ground to a halt so will
will five more feet from where we are
yeah I mean it unless you know we just
start bringing up nothing but if we keep
on bringing up water especially metal in
the combination of those
you know yeah yeah I'm hoping that we do
this something
all right well I want to see it good
while the team's efforts to penetrate
the large metal obstruction continue at
the gaol one exploration site
Rick lagina and Jack Begley head over to
the home of dan Blankenship they have
just received news that dr. Laurie
Verteron has completed her analysis of
the large iron spike that was found in
the swamp earlier this year you have
some answers I have some answers for you
jack the spike has spoken volumes really
yeah the spike is a wrought iron spike
it was the type that were used called a
burrow Tate type which in Spanish just
means iron bar and a burrow daze type
spike would have been similar to a
finishing nail on a Spanish galleon ship
that is interesting these particular
spikes in a way they would be used the
keel of a Spanish galleon would be made
of oak the mass would be made of pine
and then the decks would be made of a
hardwood and then these would be driven
in fact into the decks you don't need a
lot of strength to use one of these the
spike does all the work for you and
these are very similar to those that
have been found all along the Florida
Keys Treasure Coast particularly the
Treasure Coast of Florida all right it
confirms what Gary first thought when he
found it I mean he's found hundreds of
these well the Treasure Coast and your
expertise just confirmed it exactly so
how did you arrive at that conclusion
compare and contrast what does it look
like what doesn't it look like with
similar ones so you compared and
contrasted this with similar ones that
have been confirmed that they are deck
spikes exactly what differentiates this
from being a railroad spike what is the
difference well the difference has to do
with the way in which the iron is
wrought and also has to do with in fact
the form and the size if the thing for
me is on a railroad spike there's always
a little nose piece which this relaxed
to catch the plate yeah that's what I
was looking for but as she said the
spikes that they use and wood plank him
the wood planking was probably 2 inch or
more that would be just perfect through
2 inches blanket this is ship not train
yeah in the fact that Fred Nolan found
parts of a ship buried in the swamp
you're kidding I'm not kidding you
Oak Island landowner and treasure hunter
Fred Nolan was convinced that one of the
keys to solving the mystery was located
beneath the surface of the swamp
what were the things that you found in
this swamp well we found parts of a ship
the ratlines have a ship the city is
where the ropes went through and this
shows the scuppers on the side of a ship
how far from the beach were these items
fall into your call
they were pretty well in the middle of
the swamp and we found a number of
survey stakes in the swamp what do you
make of that well whoever laid over the
swamp they did it to hide something my
guide if you will tells me there's
something in this I can't let go of that
the swamp is important no question about
it
French theory was given more credibility
earlier this year when prior to the
discovery of the iron spike the team
also found an 18 foot long wooden plank
wow it's huge looks like a piece of wood
it was also near the same area of the
swamp that three years ago the team
located a 17th century Spanish coin is
it a coin I believe this is a coin the
coin was Spanish yeah how old 1652
what's the window on this I think this
is earlier the coin was Spanish yeah how
old 1652 what's the window on this piece
dates about 1575 to about 1600 yes if
that's true it's in the best damn era
that it could ever be yet at the home of
Oak Island treasure hunter dan
Blankenship antiquities expert dr.
Laurie Verteron has just revealed that
the strange metal spike found earlier
this year in the Oak Island swamp was
most likely a piece from a 16th century
Spanish galleon if that spike is really
from the 1500s from a Spanish galleon
that would ratchet up things maybe the
same thing as the coin
couldn't walk away stronger even
stronger the date would be more
significant I think it's it's
mind-boggling you think that there's a
Spanish galleon associated with Oak
Island this object is not going to be
too far into the 1600s your coin was
1652 yeah it's the same time period but
that coin might be a little late you
don't think they celebrate one another
yes that they're all Spanish the coin
now speaks to a culture which is
terrific
beginning with the expedition of
Christopher Columbus in 1492 the Spanish
Empire would spend the next three
centuries exploring colonizing and
plundering large areas of North Central
and South America
during this period it is reported that
conquistadors confiscated billions of
dollars worth of gold silver and
precious gems from various native
cultures most notably the Aztec and Inca
empires
that's been my theory all along yeah I
mean to me it makes common sense yeah
every ship that sailed to Spain that was
loaded with with gold and silver
the captain's only got about 15% of it
so it's not hard to theorize that a
group of these captains probably got
together and saying why should we give
all of this gold and silver to the king
of Spain
or we're the ones taking the risk common
sense says who the hell's you want to
settle for 15% when they can get a
hundred percent
so you're a hundred
percent sure that this came from a
Spanish guy I'm 100% sure this came from
a Spanish galleon all right definitive
proof there you go exactly Jake this
gives us an idea that the Spanish were
here and probably crashed a ship in the
swamp or someone got one of their ships
and brought it here when will we have
enough information to be able to do a
big dig in the swamp well it's more a
regulatory process I mean we have to
define a hard target you know given
wetlands considerations and that type of
thing now if we hard targeted some sort
of wooden structure in the swamp
absolutely yeah I think if we were to
apply for such a permit we have a story
line which has developed we have the
spike have the wood
of the coin we have Fred's discovery of
the ship scuppers I mean we have now a
legitimate line of inquiry to propose to
them that hey this is what we're looking
for
yeah well I've always said it's a
treasure hunt in information hunt and
not only have you provided more
information but you've introduced us to
perhaps in the storyline this is a great
story of history Rick it's a lot of fun
for me so I thank you thank you it's
very intriguing absolutely no question
about that
back at the money Patti
Marty lagina joins his partner Craig
tester to get an update on the team's
progress well is it time to do her happy
dance
ah getting close he went in with the
chisel pound it out so he could get some
more grabs so at least we're getting a
little bit deeper here and seeing when
we come up
can move the can or she's done it yeah
we are stalled with the can 100% stop
all right well nothing new came up in
the interim
they're here for the first bucket I also
go with a smaller graph just to make
sure
having successfully chiseled through the
metal obstruction the team is now ready
to begin removing additional spoils from
gaol one but rather than using the large
eight ton hammer grab tool they have
chosen to switch to a smaller more
surgical three ton device
there was a natural or man-made chamber
and it's got things in it we're
interested in we need to grab them all
so we kept going with a handle grab
which is somewhat risky because it can
get stuck below the pipe or certainly
below the room of that hole so what
we're gonna do is go as far as we can
with that and grab whatever it is that
filled that chamber
suddenly
you guys want that in the bucket or on
the ground the hell was that
while searching for the location of the
original Oak Island money pit the team
has just retrieved another mysterious
metal object from the 155-foot deep
exploration shop known as gal WAN
metal corner plate it looks like
corner plate
that's heavier steel to it
there were odd things coming up the
plate was the whole side that could be
original stuff you know it looked like
hammered metal it didn't look at all
modern and the holes don't look like
they're cut very cleanly they didn't
have any of sort of modern look to it so
this is getting pretty exciting scene
right there she'll find that seam is the
whole way yeah and right here and then
again you can see it right there yeah
but you're right it does have that
hammered finish to it yeah those
old-timers Craig landed on plate steel
that thick they wouldn't got through it
look at all these marks
it's from the amber drug no I don't
think so
still not sure you know what it is so we
need to get it sent out we need to get
it tested looking for impurities
what's it composed of and all that will
help determine the age of it and then
that'll help us you know start coming up
with ideas of what it might be for
it's thicker than the other metal
and he was noticing you can see his seem
like it's pattern-welded stuff
I don't know what that's got to get
tested and I mean look at all these
patterns on
that came up
there's gonna find all kinds stop there
now
that one big thick washer just looked
ancient to me seem to be like hammered
layered metal fits that whole burger
that's the wash
yeah it's worth long why do you need a
washer you're just going into wood
it was strong enough stuff to have been
some sort of casing some sort of chamber
so it could have been almost like a
chest bump a big one covered in metal or
plated with metal and inside it would've
been an ideal way to encase something
for a long long time
what the heck is going on
good Rick Marty and their partners have
finally located the so-called Chappell
vault or perhaps even the money pit
itself some 160 feet deep underground
one thing is certain the metal object
found in gal Wan is proof of man-made
activity and doesn't match the
description of any of the objects known
to be used in previous documented
searches
citizens
we look carefully through each hammer
grip fact we had lots of help from the
crew could there be a coin could there
be that piece of gold that's what we
were looking for every time those guys
treasure hunters you find a coin in your
remodel your bathroom what was
intriguing about it is how invested the
crew was and it's what's happens here on
Oak Island even if you're only somewhat
associated with the search you buy in
and you want to find something
I've got another item for your mystery
bag that would be a nut it just looks
like some real primitive stuff my
goodness we're down 160 feet now it's
very very exciting because there were
odd things coming up and they did look
very old it's just awesome that people
were down there without modern
technology underground working this
doesn't make sense to me more nuts the
georgia dan lagina for at least isn't
disappointing thank you mom and dad
she'll go down and give her a smash
be careful you don't get caught
underneath the
so guys we're past the bottom of the can
down by about a foot and a half I
thought you didn't want to do it don't
it's the top of the jar I don't want to
get lodged underneath the law so we go
another foot or something why am I here
now it's just a matter of the limited I
ever
watch yourself guys
sure
what's a Michelle why not what's picking
up there yeah we're going through sort
of a is there yeah talking to God
while trying to retrieve additional and
potentially valuable artifacts from the
exploration shaft known as gaol one the
three ton hammer grab device has
suddenly become stuck on an object at
the bottom of the hole
we're at 160 feet with a hole right now
just got the hammer caught
on what I don't know that we're gonna
try to get it out right we've reached a
depth where we've found intriguing
objects frustrating thing is the hammer
grab has gone far beyond the bottom of
the casing and in fact Andrews saying
he's a little bit worried that he can
pull it out hey Michelle one more time
but be careful let's just go down and
close the bucket and come up
if the team can't retrieve the hammer
grab tool they will have no choice but
to suspend their search operation at the
money pit
so that's a positive
what do you think we hit there I don't
know I'm hoping there's two different
things there I'm hoping that it's the
corner the Chappell shaft and maybe a
piece of the old vault
the Chappell shaft the original money
pit vault
after 10 long years of planning and
searching a trick Marty and the Oak
Island team finally reached their target
have they found the exact spot where a
mysterious treasure was buried centuries
ago
with possible success just a few feet
away the team must make a difficult
decision if they continue with the
hammer gram device they may lose it in
the hole and even if losing valuable
equipment wasn't a factor protecting the
integrity of the metal object they've
encountered is a key concern
my thought is we're out of the ground
right now with the hammer grab we go
back in we don't know if it's coming out
again
you know walk us in with us as much as
I'd love to go in when we're trying to
come up with a queen or something I
don't think it's worth it
he's well beyond his comfort level you
don't want to write I am concerned the
next one might be the one that gets
stuck or comes up with the bars
I think we may get some answers from
that metal
we have materials to test have materials
to test me we're gonna mark this spot we
can get right back down there how hard
would be if we wanted to reenter that
spot it would go really fast yeah
absolutely well then we can always get
back there
I say we know more about the money pit
than anybody on earth right now we've
found something that probably hasn't
been found before say that let's declare
victory and go home no can we just
declare victory sure Andrew crank the
horses up and let's get out of the hole
here absolutely we're done agreed agreed
agreed
yeah good after the decision has been
made the team will hold off on trying to
retrieve additional artifacts from
Galois at least until they can weigh
their options
so you meant with dr. Lurie regarding
those artifacts we found in gaol one
right we did she came here or she looked
at certain items but she wanted to take
some more time three days after the team
decided to suspend operations at the
money pit site they have gathered in the
war room to find out if any of the
objects they've retrieved so far could
reasonably be dated to a period before
1795 the year the original money pit was
first discovered she ready do if we have
a standby so why don't we get her on
television here and see what she has to
say it sounds great
dr. Laurie joining the team once again
this time via video conference is
antiquities expert dr. Laurie Verteron
dr. Laura the last time we spoke you
wanted to take some time to look at
several of the items and we're hoping
that we can get some feedback from you
we'd love to hear what you think how
about the button I'm interested in the
but we don't cool all right this I gotta
see
honest to god the coin out of this
spoils pot I don't know if it's a coin
or a bowl
is it possible just plated hell would
that mean it says play and it's a book
the button that was found in the money
pit says plated on it and the word
plated is very clear and plated buttons
like those used to have the word guilt
on them GI LT and guilt actually
indicated that the piece was in fact in
some way gilded similar buttons were
found about 1775 to about 1812 1815 on
military uniforms of the British what's
it doing in the money pit Charles Marty
I have no idea
add that depth could this gold-plated
button be evidence that members of the
British military could have been the
ones behind the Oak Island mystery or
might it simply be an indication that
English officers having learned that a
vast treasure had been buried on the
island lost one of their buttons while
searching for it
it's based on some of the other things
that were in the money pit which also
date to the same origin dr. Lurie gave
an opinion that the button was related
to perhaps British military and you know
that runs through some belief that fred
was onto something that mr. Nolan's
theory of British involvement perhaps
that that's what this Oak Island mystery
is about I mean it certainly lends
credibility to it that was relatively
interesting this is dr. Lori's this what
you're speaking of that's what I'm
speaking of it's a piece that is pretty
fascinating so here's what you have
there
that B's is decorative and if you look
at those hinges
they actually have drill holes there are
several drill holes in it right yeah
they're also used to actually attach the
metal or wooden sides of treasure chests
treasure chests did dr. Laurie just
present the team with further evidence
that the mysterious metal object at the
bottom of gaol one is one of the keys to
solving the Oak Island mystery
the very object that people have been
looking for and dying for for more than
two centuries well well you can envision
that particular piece sort of going
around the side of a treasure chest I
would say that it's much more possible
that that particular piece relates to a
ship I think they were reclaiming pieces
and reusing pieces in the money pit from
ships that's just as exciting if that's
the case I mean it's just as just as
meaningful and what date your best
bracket son date about 1800 a metal
bracket from a ship dating to us early
as 1650 and found in the money pit could
the Oak Island team have finally
discovered solid evidence that the
various legends about a mysterious
treasure being buried on Oak Island are
true
without much more information that's
where we are whether it's from again
that idea of the pirates of the
privateers or the British military I
think we have to do more testing yeah
all we can say dr. Laurie is again our
heartfelt thank you for for contributing
appreciate it have a great day you too
well that's an eye opener you know what
it is it's another typical Island you
know as far as the medals that are
concerned I think we need to further
testing I think these medals needing
undergo a real metallurgical analysis I
couldn't agree more dr. Lori's analysis
is dead-on dead-on stand on she's she
explains why what she's referring to
what her controls are she dates it
within a window that makes sense so I
think wow that's that's impressive
so again sit back calmly and objectively
and review the data ok well season is
coming to an end now we have to figure
out what we do
season is coming to an end
winter is closing in and I think it's
time sure you agree right absolutely
side I guess two things what we
accomplished and where we go from there
you had distinct goals at the beginning
of this year I remember even voiced them
many times it's not about I it's about
we yeah so we had goals basically three
things well we were gonna prove that
there's something in the swamp try to
prove that Smith's Cove was real and
then we do a very large scale they get a
real date for real dig into the money
pit
okay well when you start put an X
through the swamp not yet
no to me that has to be explored further
I'm not too keen on the swamp I mean I
in it I know it's getting to be a big
joke because of my bias against working
and stinky sloppy nasty mud look we
found the spike we found the coin we
found the board from a ship I just think
there's there's things yet to be
discovered in the swamp into that and I
think it remains a viable opportunity if
you will we're gonna go drain the swamp
again next year yes no matter what we're
gonna dig in the swamp you still think
there's something in there I absolutely
believe something like
it's gonna sound corny but the best
place to hide something is in plain
sight
it's a simple brick there's nothing
simple on Oak Island you should realize
that by now the swamp I'm with Greg it's
not done no no okay
I guess we can move on all right Smith's
Cove Smith's Cove did do us good cuz we
found the same manmade strata that other
searchers have recorded when they were
digging up the whole box drain system
the actual flood tunnels going down just
a few weeks ago
while looking for evidence of the
original flood tunnel system at Smith's
Cove the team uncovered three layers of
rounded stones it is interesting the
gradation right you know you got the
smallest rocks at the bottom then bigger
than big great ones that seemed to be
holding it all in place I think humans
built that for what end for what purpose
I don't know
the stones were later determined to be
part of an elaborate man-made irrigation
system known as a French drain wear a
trench would be dug and then filled with
layers of stones in an effort to channel
water to a specific location well I
think that was obvious those rocks were
put there by man I think we found enough
structure out there to indicate that the
Smith's Cove is real that it is some way
to artificially introduced seawater
inland all right well let's let's go on
to the money pit then I think we did
what we set out to do in the money pit
we did dig that we did it not once not
twice not three times like four times
look I think there is something in the
money good do you yes I think there's
concrete information down there that
said the man was down there that wasn't
a searcher Amen I believe that there was
a hell of a lot of work Gunnar
I think we have the that sufficient
proof to substantiate that I believe
they even going all the way back to
although I couldn't work with him with
Fred Nolan's so-called crops there I
believe there's some relevance to it
probably based on everything else yeah
I have a question for you told me in 65
when you read the article you said
there's treasure on Oak Island and I'm
going to be instrumental in finding it
are you still of that mindset I don't go
back on what I said I know I remember
what I said I don't go back on it
some people called me a damn fool yeah
nobody in this group ever did one of the
things is I sit here and listen to this
whole deal we're going through is that I
think this I think we did a damn fine
job this year I really do
we dug those holes in the money pit that
was a technological challenge we got
down we excavated we did it we pulled it
off the question is though is it prudent
to continue well excuse me for
interrupting I respectfully suggest you
take most of the winter to find out
because the conclusion you come to is
going to be a major conclusion you know
that's probably Sejal effort into it
there's no question about yeah we did I
would want to fish in time to analyze
the pros and cons and then come to
logical conclusion to whether you should
continue and if so where I think that's
what you call wisdom right there
I've seen farther because I've stood on
the shoulders of giants right I can't
argue with a single thing he voiced well
I agree completely with Dan's statement
I mean there's a lot of data we just
haven't had time to look at it all and
to process at all and then to take the
emotions out of it I've never been able
to look at Oak Island except from an
emotional standpoint so if I were you
guys I wouldn't but that's me I think
there's something here I can't tell you
why I know it's here but I believe it's
here and I believe it's quite
substantial
now I said in the money Federer's that
somewhere else I don't know but you just
haven't found the right spot
and if you've done a thousand holes here
that we still say we didn't find the
right spot but that's strictly from an
emotional standpoint I'm with Charles
I'm I'm in his bandwagon
I would I would love to keep going I
think there's so much unfinished
business let me give you that back right
absolutely yeah yes yep
look here's what I just heard we're on
this table I heard that we should
declare victory for this season who we
should adjourn for this season and
contemplate what comes next
all in favor say aye motion carries with
another harsh Nova Scotia winter just
weeks away and having stretched this
year's financial resources to the limit
take care have a good trip Ollie buddy
come on Rick Marty and the Oak Island
team have made the difficult but
understandable decision to suspend their
search operations until next summer
nevertheless they will leave confident
that this year's search was by far their
most productive take care partner thank
you to the Oak Island family is now much
larger than it was prior to us arriving
it's been nearly a decade
we still are on this quest together in
addition to the mysterious metal objects
they retrieved from gaol one they made
several more equally important
discoveries you see the features that's
a King George 1700s that changes a lot
this is a treasure room this dream for
in the general area of the suppose it
hatch they heard several compelling new
theories holy smokes
FDR thought they were the lost jewels of
Marie Antoinette and have come with
impossible inches of finding the elusive
money pit these Timbers have played
these part of the original date Rick and
I chased this dream pretty hard and
something we've done together now how
many boys get to enact their childhood
dream searching for pirate treasure
when you look at it in summation the
efforts and the passions and the belief
and the angst and round it all along
we've been good stewards of a great
mystery and it's not a singular pursuit
it's all of us together they Oak Island
family
for now the island secrets remain hidden
safely protected under dozens of feet of
rocks and clay
but it is only a matter of time before
whatever is buried will be exposed and
the truth about Oak Island and its curse
will finally be revealed
next week the Oak Island team travels to
Michigan along with host Matty Blake to
share an exclusive look at what lies
ahead in the math there's a cipher and
that's what the cipher says Wow
join them as they reveal the latest
information we add carbon testing and
expose some shocking new discoveries
system research puts X on the spot
this is it don't miss the exciting
season four wrap up the curse of Oak
Island drilling down