10x12 - Beware the Blob

[bunniefuu]

Tonight on The
Curse of Oak Island...

We got wood here,
gentlemen. It's got to be a tunnel.

Yeah. This is a tunnel pointing
towards the Garden Shaft.

- Absolutely.
- There it is, mate.

- Look at that.
- Wow.

This is a first for Oak
Island, which is fantastic.

So, in terms of
where it is from,

- you've got a Roman Empire going on here.
- There we go.

MARTY: We're chasing
the gold in the Money Pit.

Wow. There it is.

- That's what we're looking for.
- Yeah.

- Finally.
- [laughs]

NARRATOR: 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 a stone slab

with strange symbols
carved into it...

man-made workings that
date to medieval times,

and a lead cross whose
origin may be connected

to the Knights Templar.

To date, six men have d*ed

trying to solve the mystery.

And according to legend,
one more will have to die

before the treasure
can be found.

♪ ♪

CHARLES: We've
got a core, gentlemen.

They're coming fast and furious.

- Furious.
- Yeah, exactly.

NARRATOR: A new day

of excitement and anticipation

has begun on Oak Island

for brothers Rick
and Marty Lagina,

their partner Craig Tester,

and the other faithful
members of their team.

- CHARLES: What do you got?
- ADAM M.: 24.

CHARLES: 24.

NARRATOR: After
more than a decade

of historical research,
tireless efforts,

and the application of science,

they may finally be zeroing in

on the fabled Money
Pit treasure vault.

Morning!

- How are you?
- Morning, guys.

- Welcome to the table.
- Morning.

How are you?

- Good. How are you?
- MARTY: Ian.

- What have we got?
- IAN: Uh...

blue-gray till. But we
don't see any sign of

disturbance or
anything like that.

Let's say lightning strikes.

What does that mean?
What's the implications of it?

You both get what you want.

We find the one thing
that indicates a deposit

and we find gold,
hopefully. So...

- That's what we're looking for.
- Yep. -Yeah.

NARRATOR: Currently,
the team is drilling

a borehole known as DN-13.5,

located 14 feet west
of the Garden Shaft

in an area that has recently
been dubbed the Blob.

It is within this


that recent water
testing has indicated

a massive deposit
of gold lies buried

somewhere between a
depth of 80 and 120 feet.

The area in pink there would
be exactly where the gold is.

MARTY: Wow.

NARRATOR: One week ago,

while drilling a borehole

just 13 feet southwest
known as CN-11...

Right there. Look at
that. That is very unusual.

NARRATOR: the team recovered

disturbed soils at
a depth of 118 feet,

suggesting to geologist
Terry Matheson

that man-made workings
may be located nearby.

That's a great
puzzle, though, isn't it?

One of the things that
keeps me coming back

- is it's very complex.
- It's a world-class puzzle.

- Yep.
- Yeah.

NARRATOR: Now, it is Rick,

Marty, Craig,

and the team's hope
that their second effort

within the Blob at
borehole DN-13.5

will pinpoint the workings

and valuables that they may have
narrowly missed one week ago.

RICK: The so-called Blob,
it's a very intriguing location.

This is an area

that we have not
intensely investigated

prior to this moment.

MARTY: I am very
much focused this year,

as I've said many times,

on chasing the gold
in the Money Pit.

This could be where it's
been hiding all those years.

Hopefully, we'll hit something.

- Yep.
- If it's there, we should find it.

- That's what I'm holding out hope for.
- MARTY: Well, guys,

we're gonna let you carry on,
and Rick and I are gonna go

dig up some cool things. Right?

- We're gonna go find treasure.
- Let's go.

- RICK: Thank you.
- MARTY: See you guys. -IAN: Okay.

NARRATOR: As
the drilling operation

continues in the
Money Pit area...

GARY: Perfect timing.

- Hey, guys.
- Hey, there, guys.

Hello.

NARRATOR: on Lot 26,

located on the western
side of Oak Island,

archeologists Laird
Niven and Helen Sheldon

join metal detection
expert Gary Drayton

and Jack Begley

to begin a methodical
investigation

of a mysterious stone well.

We came in, we had
a little scan of the area,

and as you see, we've got
some flags down here already.

So, whoever was using this
well, might've lost some artifacts.

LAIRD: Yeah, that
might give us a clue.

I wouldn't have pictured
myself down here at this well,

but that early date
that Dr. Spooner got

from down there is
really intriguing for me.

IAN: You wouldn't
know it was a well.

NARRATOR: Also last week,

after Rick and Craig directed
geoscientist Dr. Ian Spooner

to test the water
and collect sediment

- from the feature...
- IAN: Excellent.

There you go.

It was one of our

only silver hits

outside of the Money Pit.

NARRATOR: the
team was stunned

to find that it not only

contained evidence
of possible treasure,

but also proved to
be one of the oldest

man-made structures ever
discovered on Oak Island.

The date I got on
the twig at the bottom

was 1028 to 1172.

[whistles]

The Lot 26 well is
unique in many ways.

I've found it interesting
from the moment

David and I first
found that well.

The relevance of
the carbon date here,

i.e. late 11s,

I don't, as of yet,

have an understanding

of how impactful
it will be in terms of

understanding the
Oak Island mystery.

But it's certainly an
interesting feature.

I am bemused and
befuddled by that well.

What story is it telling us?

So, what are you guys gonna do?

It doesn't look like
a well right now.

- Mm-mm.
- We're gonna cut some soil away

from two, uh, quadrants

to get a look at
how it's constructed.

If we find something
in the soils,

artifacts possibly.

That was dropped
while it was in use?

Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

GARY: Any artifacts
down at the bottom of there

should be in really
good condition.

- Yeah.
- GARY: So, if this was a well,

and someone was sitting there,

you'd drop stuff and...

- Or you'd hide things.
- GARY: Yeah. Oh, you hide things. Yeah.

- LAIRD: Yeah.
- JACK: Do you think,

eventually, you'll end
up draining the well

and then digging some
of the material out?

That's the hope. We'll talk to

Dr. Spooner about
the best approach.

I'm sure we'll get
to the bottom of it.

[laughs]

LAIRD: I've been curious

about the Lot 26
well for a long time.

I've excavated a
land-based well before.

I've never excavated
one like this.

The biggest mystery
about this well is its location.

It seems the strangest
place to have a well.

It's near the shore
and next to a pond.

So, what led people
there, you know?

And when did it
lead people there?

So, I'm excited
to-to get this started.

Yeah. Is there any
way that I can help out?

- Clear the topsoil off and delineate the rocks.
- Okay.

NARRATOR: While Jack
remains to help Laird and Helen

expose more of the
mysterious feature...

- GARY: I think we're gonna be in for a great day.
- PETER: Okay.

- I'll pull this first flag.
- All right, mate.

NARRATOR: less
than 50 yards away,

Gary joins Rick
and Marty's nephew,

Peter Fornetti,
to search for clues

in the surrounding area
that could help explain

just who created the stone well

more than 800 years ago.

Ooh, it sounds actually
a little bit better now.

- Okay.
- It's just there.

GARY: Hopefully,
it's not surface junk.

Oh, it isn't, look.

- Look at that.
- What is that?

GARY: More than likely,
it looks like a door holder.

PETER: Like a hinge?

Yeah, like a hinge.

A hanger. A door hanger.

One end would've been driven

into the wooden frame of a door,

and then the door would've

been hung on this.
A swinging door.

It's been there a
while, by the look of it.

It's all encrusted.

PETER: Do you know what era

this is typical of?

GARY: I know they go way back.

Something like that, is
that wrought iron, or no?

Yeah, it's probably
wrought iron, hand-forged...

If it is wrought iron,
it's pre-1830s or so.

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

NARRATOR: Could Gary and Peter

have found an ancient
hand-forged artifact

on Lot 26?

One curious fact about
this four-acre property

is that it was once owned

from the late-1700s
to the early-1800s

by Samuel Ball,

a man who came to Oak Island
as a humble cabbage farmer,

only to mysteriously become

one of the wealthiest landowners

in all of Nova Scotia.

We're close to this well...

- Yeah.
- But we're far away

from known establishments.

Yeah.

NARRATOR: Because the remains

of Samuel Ball's 18th
century homestead

sits nearly 100 yards
northwest of this location...

GARY: All right,
mate, we'll bag it

'cause we know
it's potentially old.

That's why we got
to dig everything.

Exactly.

NARRATOR: Is it
possible that Gary

and Peter have found evidence
of a much older structure

that may be connected to
the mysterious stone well?

If so, might it also
be an important clue

that could help explain
the great fortune of Mr. Ball?

The next flag is by
another tree down there.

All right, let's go to it.

- All right, here's the next one.
- Yep.

[beeping]

Ah, I love that sound.

That's a nice, sweet tone.

I know one thing:
this is super deep,

and we're tagging it.

[beeping]

You've shaken it out,
mate, on that last lot.

Yep. There it is, mate.

What the heck is that?

GARY: Ooh, look at that.

[chuckles] I know what this is.

This looks like a pipe tamper.

NARRATOR: On Lot 26,

located on the western
side of Oak Island,

metal detection
expert Gary Drayton

and Peter Fornetti

have just made a
curious discovery

in the vicinity of a mysterious


GARY: Back in the day,

people would've
had tobacco in a pipe,

and they would've
used this to pack it down.

This is nice and the first one
we've found on Oak Island.

- I love a first on Oak Island.
- Yeah.

This does look
like an oldie to me.

This looks like
it's copper alloy.

It's nice and crude.

Now, putting a
date on it is difficult.

PETER: This'll be
an interesting one

- to throw in the CT scanner to look for...
- Yeah.

Some sort of monogram
or maker's mark.

Yeah, because some of them did.

They had the initials

or lettering

- on there of the owner.
- Okay.

I know one thing, mate,
if it is a pipe tamper,

it's a smoking find.

Let's bag it.

GARY: All the artifacts
that we are recovering

on Lot 26 are really
important to me

'cause these
artifacts will tell a story

and, hopefully, we
can get to the bottom

of this little
mystery on Lot 26.

Um, and the next flag

- is over there.
- Okay.

GARY: I'm hoping these are
good 'cause we're close to the well.

Here's the next one.

Yep.

[beeping]

Just there, mate.

That should be it.

[beeping]

That's singing, mate.
That's a screamer of a signal.

Right down the middle.

Right down the pike,
mate. Come on, artifact.

I think we're about to
save a little bit of history.

It's there.

- Oh, yeah.
- Oh.

That's like a swing door

or a gate fastener.

It had some ring bolts on
it, and it just fit in the top.

This is the second
one of these objects

we have found in this area.

We find a lot of
one-offs on Oak Island.

Now, we've got two

very similar iron artifacts.

They do seem out of place.

It's not the type of
area that you'd expect

to find artifacts
associated with doors.

We have to have
them "Carmen dated."

So, here's a
little bit of history,

- and hopefully Carmen Legge...
- Yeah.

Can shed some light on it.

All right, mate. Keep moving.

The artifacts are
piling up on Lot 26.

NARRATOR: The following morning,

while search activities
continue on Oak Island...

DOUG: I'm really looking
forward to these results.

ALEX: Yeah, me, too.

You know, I'm looking
forward to seeing how it's done.

NARRATOR: Alex
Lagina and Doug Crowell

have traveled some


to the University
of New Brunswick

in Fredericton, Nova Scotia.

You know where
Chris's office is?

- Yeah, top floor.
- Okay.

NARRATOR: They have
come to witness a scientific test

that will be conducted
on the hand-forged,

cut coin that was found
four weeks ago on Lot 5.

A coin which numismatist
Sandy Campbell

believes not only dates
to as early as 300 B.C.,

but is also of Roman origin.

Hey, Chris.

- Hi, gentlemen. Good to see you.
- How's it going.

- Yeah. Nice to see you.
- How are you?

- This is Brandon.
- Hey, Brandon. -Hey.

NARRATOR: Dr. Chris McFarlane is

a professor of geochemistry

who has helped
the team determine

the geographic origins
of numerous discoveries

that have been
made on Oak Island.

Most notably, the


which originated
in Southern France

and is believed to be connected

to the religious m*llitary
order of the Knights Templar.

We got the item

- you guys sent down.
- ALEX: Yeah. Yeah.

Well, so, the
thing about this is

we've had an expert in
ancient coins look at it.

And the expert told us

that it's possible that it's
actually a Roman coin,

which would be
pretty incredible.

It's the first of its
kind on the island.

Hopefully, we should be able
to tell you something about that.

Hopefully, pin it
down to a country,

- but, minimum, a region.
- Great.

I mean, the best we can
do is to get it in the machine,

have a look at it.

- So, let's go.
- After you guys.

NARRATOR: Certain metal alloys

have been determined to
contain unique chemical signatures

known as "isotopes,"
that are specific

to various geographic
regions around the world.

By using a process
known as laser ablation,

microscopic samples will
be removed from the coin,

which can then be analyzed
for their isotope values,

to hopefully determine just
where the artifact was created.

Okay, so, this is
where we get everything

- sorted to get into the machine...
- Mm-hmm.

Including the custom
sort of universal holder.

- Mm-hmm.
- It allows us to put odd-shaped things

into the laser ablation system.

BOUCHER: I'll just
stick this in the cell,

and we'll be good to go.

I'm always hoping that,
with any of these tests,

we get, like, a smoking g*n,

a conclusive match to
put the pieces together.

I don't think there's any way
to assemble the truth of what

happened on Oak Island
without scientific analysis.

BOUCHER: All
right, our sample's in.

We'll analyze it with
a laser in the ICP-MS.

We'll have a look
at what comes out.

- All right.
- Okay.

Everyone I have asked
about the Roman coin

has the same reaction:

befuddlement.

Have a seat, guys.
We'll look at this stuff.

MARTY: We don't know when.

We don't know why, but

our coin expert doesn't waver.

He says it's a Roman
era coin. It's very, very old.

BOUCHER: Yeah, so, we've
got the ablation going right there.

At the minimum, I think it's
another one of those outliers

that pushes the
time period back,

and it shows, yet again,

that all kinds of things
happened here long ago.

So, we have to figure
out what that means.

Yeah, so this
half-coin certainly

has enough lead to get a
pretty good number out of it.

In fact, of all the stuff

we've ever done, you
know, lead artifact-wise,

this one gave some
of the best data.

Great.

So, all the little black
dots are the data

from the database of European

and other, you know,
international sources

of lead mines and
other prospects.

Uh, we can also
look at the actual

area ellipse that we measured.

And when we go through
the filtering process,

we end up with about
eight possible occurrences.

I can tell you pretty
confidently where it's not from.

We have more or less
discounted, you know,

Germany as a likely
source because it's so far

removed from the main mass
of the lead isotope database.

And that's similarly true
for Greece and the U.K.

Ultimately, in terms
of where it is from,

that really leaves the Iberian,

you know, Peninsula,

Mediterranean, Spanish origin.

There we go.

The Roman Empire
included the Iberian Peninsula.

So, pretty much, you got a
Roman Empire going on here.

[laughs]

CHRIS: In terms
of where it is from,

we have an Iberian Peninsula

circa Mediterranean,
Spanish origin.

It's pretty good.

NARRATOR: At the
University of New Brunswick,

geochemist Dr. Chris McFarlane

and his colleague
Brandon Boucher

have just determined
that the cut coin,

recently found on
Oak Island's Lot 5

and which is believed
to be of Roman origin

and more than 1,500 years old,

was likely created in Spain.

I think that's really good info

because we've narrowed
down where we think it was made

or at least where the
lead in the coin came from.

DOUG: Yeah.

It still works well with
the coin expert's idea

that it's a Roman coin
because the Roman Empire

at one time did
include these areas.

NARRATOR: In 206 B.C...

[man yelling]

the Roman Empire began a
nearly 700-year-long occupation

of the Iberian Peninsula

which today consists
of Spain and Portugal.

The Romans mined the territory
for riches like gold and silver,

as well as other metals

that were used for
the production of tools,

weaponry and currency
such as copper, tin and lead.

But if the half-coin,
found on Lot 5

was created in Spain
more than 1,500 years ago,

who could have
brought it to Oak Island?

And could it potentially
be related in some way

to the 900-year-old
stone well on Lot 26?

ALEX: There's just
something a little more mystical,

a little more magical, about
a potentially Roman coin

turning up on Oak Island.

At least, in the ten years
that I've been here, um,

this is one of the more
exciting things that we've found.

Just because it's
so out of place.

It makes you ask
so many questions.

You know, what is it doing
here? How did it get here?

What is it telling us?

And can we possibly tease out

a little bit more
information from it?

It's exciting.

If it keeps bearing
out that it's that old,

it's the oldest thing
we've found by far.

We don't know where this
supposed treasure came from.

Maybe this fell out of it.
You know? Who knows?

So, it's cool for that reason.

But we want to kind
of follow the science,

and we want to learn
as much as we can trust

about this coin and hopefully
not leap to conclusions.

Well, we've got numbers now.

I'll leave the
context to you guys.

We'll keep working
on that angle,

but we really
appreciate it, guys.

Thank you as always.

If we learn more,
we'll let you know.

- CHRIS: Yeah. It was great.
- ALEX: We'll see you soon.

NARRATOR: The
following morning...

TEDFORD: It gets
pretty tight down there.

As the drilling operation

continues in the
Money Pit area...

- DOUG: Hey, Marty.
- [others greeting]

- MARTY: Morning.
- GARY: Hello, mate.

I'm ready for some news.

Alex Lagina and Doug Crowell

have returned to the
island to share their report

with Rick, Marty, Craig
and other members

- of the team.
- RICK: So,

I'll turn it over to you two.

ALEX: Yeah. So,

this is the...

half-coin, and we brought it

to Chris McFarlane for
laser ablation testing,

'cause it does contain
a little bit of lead.

We got a really good
sample in the machine.

And so Chris's conclusion was

that the most likely
source for this coin is Spain

or the Iberian Peninsula.

The Roman Empire was there.

JACK: Wow. So it is

possibly a Roman coin.

Roman, baby!

[chuckling]

ALEX: We've identified this lead

as coming from Spain, but,

you know, it's the
Iberian Peninsula.

And Portugal is on the
Iberian Peninsula, too.

Correct.

ALEX: We were just
there investigating

a potential Templar connection.

So Portugal and the
Templars are still in play.

Great point.

CORJAN: Oh. Good morning.

- Welcome to Portugal.
- RICK: Thank you.

NARRATOR: One year ago,

Rick, Alex, Doug and Peter

investigated a number
of sites in Portugal

with researcher Corjan Mol,

where the Knights Templar
maintained strongholds

between the 12th
and 16th centuries.

This symbol is definitely
on the 90 Foot Stone.

RICK: It's perfect.

NARRATOR: Incredibly,

they not only saw numerous
stone carvings that have

also been found on Oak Island
over the last two centuries...

ALEX: The stone path
looks exactly like this.

But also a stone road that
dated back to the Roman era,

one identical to the stone road

uncovered in the Oak
Island swamp back in 2020,

which is believed to
be at least 500 years old

and of Portuguese origin.

Is it possible that
the Roman half-coin

may have once been
in the possession

of a Portuguese Templar knight

and offer more evidence that
the secretive medieval order

could really be connected
to the Oak Island mystery?

JACK: Would a coin like that

have been in the coffers
of the Knights Templar?

Like, could that have been
part of their treasure at the time

- when it was lost?
- Sure.

- Yeah. I don't see why not.
- GARY: Yeah.

CRAIG: I mean, to me, you know,

we're searching for a treasure.

And if a group came
here and put a treasure in,

they may have taken
part of the treasure

and, as a token of-of
the job they did and the...

and the camaraderie,

they-they cut up a few
coins and passed them

to the... to the members.

Quite possibly, yeah.

Guys, this is an exotic thing.

And so exotic
theories come to mind.

Sometimes things like that,

if it's cut cleanly,

what if a pact was made

between somebodies

and the coin was brought out?

This ancient Roman coin.

You clip it.

One person gets one piece,

one person gets the other.

And then if the
emissaries ever meet,

if the coin matches,

they know it's for real.

RICK: It's eminently plausible.

If there were secret
societies involved,

- perhaps it's something like that.
- I agree.

It's like a passport key, right?

-You-you prove... -Yeah.

- You prove who you are.
- Yeah.

We often have trouble
eliminating any theories

when we find new data,
because a lot of them fit.

Things like a very, very
early Portuguese settlement,

unknown voyages
from the New World,

perhaps Templars.

It's got to be
something of an outlier,

why that coin is there.

And it could lead us to
all kinds of other theories,

because that is well before
discovery of the Money Pit.

RICK: Here's my takeaway...

That little coin has stimulated

- very spirited discussion in this room.
- ALEX: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

RICK: And that's a cool thing.

I mean, I love
Marty's thing about,

you know, basically,
it's a secret code ring

out of a Special K box, right?

-[chuckling] -Yeah.

But the only way
we're gonna find out is

if you guys get
back out and find

its brothers and sisters, Gary.

Yeah. Roman
brothers and sisters.

[chuckling]

Or Iberian brothers and sisters.

[chuckles]

That little coin is pretty cool,

but we got to get
out and get to work.

And hopefully find some amigos

- and amigas.
- [chuckling] -CRAIG: Okay.

- MARTY: There you go.
- RICK: See ya.

ALEX: See ya. See ya, Marty.

GARY: Bye-bye.

NARRATOR: Later
that afternoon...

CHARLES: Here we
go. You got another core.

In the Money Pit area,

Oak Island historians
Charles Barkhouse

and Paul Troutman...

- It's disturbed. Yeah.
- Okay.

Continue supervising
the drilling operation

in DN-13.5.

Down to 99.

CHARLES: 'Kay.

NARRATOR: Having
reached the target zone

between 80 and 120 feet deep,

where a large source of
gold is believed to be located...

- It stiffened up right at the bottom there.
- Okay.

Every passing moment

comes with greater
anticipation for the team.

We've got wood.

- Got the wood?
- Yeah.

Right here.

PAUL: Oh, look at that.

- Same wood contact.
- CHARLES: Yeah.

PAUL: Eight inches here.

- CHARLES: This would be 93.5.
- Yes.

It's really interesting.

Could be a collapsed tunnel.

CHARLES: I'll let Craig know.

CHARLES: It's definitely wood.

PAUL: Oh, look at that.



NARRATOR: It is an exciting
moment in the Money Pit area...

And Mike said it
has stiffened up.

As the team has
just recovered evidence

of a wooden structure
in borehole DN-13.5

at a depth of nearly 100 feet.

Could be a tunnel.
It's really interesting.

A borehole located
where recent water testing

has suggested that
a large source of gold

lies somewhere close by,

between 80 and


It's got to be a tunnel.

Question is, does
it go a little further?

If we could, it would be
nice to sink another hole,

- just to see if it continues.
- Yeah.

I mean, we got to follow it now.

- If-if we can, we have to follow it.
- Yeah.

Absolutely. I agree.

RICK: The finding of the wood

or a possible tunnel
in the so-called Blob,

it's exciting,

because we are
in an area that...

certainly merits
further investigation.

Where does it go?

Can we figure out who built it?

When was it built?

That's really
what this is about.

It's how do we exploit
the find of this tunnel.

- Craig. Terry.
- Wow.

- Hi, Paul. How you doing?
- How's it going? -Good.

CRAIG: That's good.

PAUL: It's, uh, DN-13.50.

Found it at 93 to 95.

Oh, that's great.
And there it is.

Okay. Wow.

You got a pretty good
ch-chunk of wood here.

Yeah, it's fairly firm there.

And above,

uh, it's relatively firm.

Undisturbed material
and relatively firm below.

Why this free-floating piece
of wood is just sitting there,

there's no rhyme or
reason for it to be that way.

This is where we are at DN-13.5.

TERRY: This is
really, really interesting.

Uh, this looks like
the continuation

of this tunnel that we
hit here out of DN-12.5.

Now we're over here at DN-13.5,

five feet further to the west.

We're starting to get a really
good east-west alignment

back towards the Garden Shaft.

CRAIG: Yeah. To me, this is

a tunnel, which it
looks like, and it goes

by the Garden Shaft or under it.

NARRATOR: Earlier this year,

at a depth of 95 feet,

the team unearthed handworked
wood in borehole DN-12.5,

just five feet to the west

of where they are
currently drilling in DN-13.5.

Could Terry and Craig be correct

that both boreholes
encountered a tunnel

that may be heading
toward the Garden Shaft,

located just 12
feet to the east?

Three months ago,

the team was stunned to find out

that this flooded 80-foot-deep
structure may not only predate

the discovery of the Money
Pit by half a century or more

but also contains high
trace evidence of gold.

COTE: We had to put some
planks in this corner right here.

This corner, it was those
two-by-sixes missing.

NARRATOR: In order to find
out what may lie at the bottom

or in the nearby vicinity...

Rick, Marty and Craig
hired a mining company

named Dumas Contracting Limited

to begin reconstructing a
new waterproof vertical shaft,

one that will also allow
for horizontal tunneling

if evidence of treasure
is discovered nearby.

But, unfortunately,

due to permitting issues
regarding safety protocols,

the provincial government
has forced the team

to delay the project until
those concerns are resolved.

We have two wells now.
They're-they're fairly close.

But, in general,
they're pointing towards

the Garden Shaft.

- Yes. -TERRY: Yeah.
- So...

PAUL: Same horizon.

Are these connected?

Potentially, could be.

The quest is exciting right now.

Things coalesce
around that Garden Shaft.

There's some evidence it
was a man-made structure,

a hundred feet below
the surface right there.

Rehabbing the Garden Shaft
will be a big deal in the story

of Oak Island.

I'm hoping

Dumas is coming back

and they're gonna
get us underground.

And I think it could
yield answers.

There's a lot of anomalous,
weird things going on

in this area that we
still don't understand.

It's unlike any other
area in the Money Pit.

- Definitely bag this sucker up.
- Yes.

- We'll get a sample.
- Uh, we may want to do dendro on that.

Getting a water sample.

TERRY: Absolutely. Okay.

NARRATOR: In
order to fully explore

the believed treasure zone
in this location of the Blob,

the team will continue
drilling borehole DN-13.5

down to a depth of 120 feet.

They will also have the
wood scientifically dated

while testing a water
sample for further evidence

- of gold.
- PAUL: Okay.

I'll head out to get the kit,
and I'll be back when I have it.

- TERRY: Okay, good. Talk to you soon.
- CRAIG: Okay.

NARRATOR: While the
drilling operation continues

in the Money Pit area...

[scraping sounds]

JACK: Hey, Helen. Hey, Laird.

- HELEN: Hi, Jack.
- Jack Begley returns to Lot 26

to once again assist
archaeologists Laird Niven

and Helen Sheldon
as they investigate

the mysterious


- JACK: The well looks clear.
- LAIRD: Yeah.

- This is the center of the well here, right?
- Yeah.

It's kind of oval-shaped.

Yeah.

And you can see
the three rocks there.

Those are in there permanently.
Those have been built into it.

See, ideally, what
we'd want for testing

is find a wooden artifact...

- Somewhere in there?
- That we could test.

HELEN: Yeah.

- JACK: Is there any way I can help out?
- Sure.

We need some more
of this sod stripped back.

Sure. I'll do what I can.

HELEN: So, this
coarse, sandy matrix

seems really consistent
all the way around.

LAIRD: So we've done as much
historical research as we can.

We've got water testing
done and core testing done...

Things like that.

So it's time now

for us to begin taking off

all the vegetation
that's overgrown...

And there's a
lot of vegetation...

So we can look at it,
get an idea of its size

and hopefully an idea
of how it was constructed

and perhaps find a clue
as to who constructed it.

We'll take these
little rocks off.

Leave these ones in.

But then we can
move all of these.

The loose ones.

Right? And then

really get a good idea of
the structure from there.

- So it's coming up slowly.
- HELEN: It is.

Yeah, it's turning out to be
a pretty interesting area, eh?

Between you and
Gary's finds and...

- what we're uncovering.
- Yeah. -H-Hopefully

the source of that silver
is somewhere in the well.

- Yeah.
- Or maybe it's coming

from somewhere near here.

Who knows?

JACK: You have the hope

- of a treasure hunter, Laird.
- [chuckling]

NARRATOR: As a new
day begins on Oak Island...

HELEN: I've never seen one
this close to salt water before.

Yeah, it's turning out to be a
pretty interesting area, right?

And the archaeological
investigation continues

at the stone well on Lot 26...

[clanging]

SCOTT: Hey, Carmen.

Well, hello. You got some
more goodies this time?

DOUG: You know we do.

Oak Island historian Doug
Crowell and Scott Barlow

have traveled some 50
miles to Northville Farm

in Centreville, Nova Scotia.

They are meeting

with blacksmithing
expert Carmen Legge

to get his professional
analysis of the metal artifacts

that were discovered two days
ago near the ancient stone well.

So, we brought a
couple of things that, uh,

Gary has found on Lot 26.

They're both found in
close proximity to each other.

I'll let you have a look and see
what you think they might be.

- All righty.
- It has that...

uh, hinge appeal to it.

But kind of curious on
what you think they are.

- Can I see the other one, too, Scott?
- Yeah.

They both have a
similar shape to them.

Yeah, this one is
more encrusted.

They're both the same thickness.

These are broken
pieces off of a cutting tool.

- These are from a bush scythe.
- Oh, wow.

NARRATOR: Dating back
as much as 5,000 years,

bush scythes were used
throughout Europe and Asia

as cutting tools in
the field of agriculture.

However, when European cultures,

including the Spanish, English
and Portuguese, began exploring

North America by
the 15th century,

bush scythes became essential
tools on large sailing vessels.

And the bush scythes would be
used to hack off all the bushes,

small shrubs and anything
up to about an inch and a half.

And they would
smash 'em off and...

get a encampment area cleared

so that they could,
uh, come ashore,

put up a little habitation
or something like that

- sort of thing.
- Yeah.

Um, actually, if you
look behind you there,

you'll see a bush scythe
leaned up against the wall there.

You can bring that over
and we can com-compare.

And show you exactly
what part this is.

Yeah. This is what I remember,
except, the ones we had,

they were much longer.

Yeah. It's a lawn
blade or a grass blade.

And if we compare
it with that one,

you can see it's-it's
the exact match.

SCOTT: Yeah,
that's-that's identical.

DOUG: So, if you were gonna put

a date range to-to these ones,

what-what would you think?

These are much older.

The way these are
made and shaped,

I'm gonna say
probably middle 1600s.

Wow.

NARRATOR: Bush scythes

possibly dating back
more than 150 years

prior to the discovery of
the Money Pit in 1795?

Since no one is documented
to have settled on Oak Island

before the 1760s,

who brought these
tools to Lot 26?

Could it have been
someone that was looking

for something of great value
in the 900-year-old stone well?

Or was it someone who
actually repurposed it

to hide valuables
there themselves?

RICK: The bush scythe
dating to the 1600s,

it's interesting.

And then you transition
to Dr. Spooner's work

indicating 1198 from the well.

H-How is that possible?

The only explanation
I have in my mind

is that the enormity of the
work done on Oak Island

was done in stages.

There was a
infrastructure stage,

a depositional phase,
a implementation phase,

a logistics phase.

Perhaps done over
a long period of time.

There are nuances
to telling the story,

and we need to make certain

that we're not
misunderstanding any of it.

SCOTT: And, again, it reinforces
that people were probably around here

a little before we
thought they were.

CARMEN: Oh, absolutely.

Uh, these-these are
before any, uh, uh,

settlement or habitation
here in Nova Scotia.

It-it is uncommon
to see one this old.

DOUG: Why would you need a...

bush scythe on Oak
Island in that time period?

SCOTT: And to find two
of them... it almost suggests

there may have been
multiple people there

trying to clear an area.

This could have been
a-a... Very possible

that this was a point
of entry to the island,

where people were
coming ashore here.

- You've got my mind wandering now.
- [chuckling]

- SCOTT: We'll let you get back to work.
- Thanks, Carmen.

- CARMEN: All right. See you later.
- SCOTT: Thanks.

NARRATOR: Later
that afternoon...

- RICK: Hi, guys. -ALEX: Hey.
- [others greeting]

Hello.

Thank you for joining us.

Rick and Marty Lagina,

Craig Tester and
members of the team

have gathered in the w*r room

for a video conference
with representatives

from Dumas Contracting Limited.

Everybody knows how important
the Garden Shaft project is

- to everything we do this year in the Money Pit.
- Yeah.

NARRATOR: Six weeks after
having to halt reconstruction

on the Garden Shaft
in the Money Pit area...

CAMERON: We are
very much interested

and remain committed
to this project, Rick.

Cameron Carter,
the vice president

of technical services and
development at Dumas,

along with his colleagues, have

a critical update to
share with the team.

Look, uh, the bottom
line is we're hoping

for good news today.

Well, um, I hope the
team can appreciate

the scrutiny that
we are receiving

from the regulatory
bodies in Nova Scotia.

They want

this project to proceed
in a safe manner,

uh, as does Dumas and as does

all the stakeholders that
are engaged in this work.

There have been some
hurdles that we're trying

to remove from our way to
ensure that we can proceed

on the Garden
Shaft rehabilitation

in the most safe and
appropriate manner.

- Yes.
- RICK: I think,

on our side, we believe
the very same thing.

But do you have
an update for us?

Where do we sit? Where
do we go from here?

Yep. Certainly.

We do have some news here, Rick.

RICK: Do you have an
update for us? Where do we sit?

Where do we go from here?

Yep. Certainly.

The commitment that-that
the government has made to us

is that they're
going to work with us

in an expedited manner,

as efficiently as they can.

And, quite simply, I can't
ask for more than that.

We have confirmed
with the government

that they are in receipt of
the additional information

that's been provided by Dumas

that we are in the
opinion satisfies

all outstanding requirements,
uh, for authorization.

As we sit here today,

we are not in receipt of
the authorizations to proceed

with the Garden
Shaft rehabilitation,

but we do anticipate

that it should be
received this week.

- SCOTT: Good news.
- MARTY: That would be cool.

- CRAIG: Great.
- Wow.

There was a huge sigh of relief

in the entire room, because,

finally, we'll be able

to move this project forward.

The Dumas people should be proud

that they brought
their team together

and responded in a
very timely manner.

Again, we thank you very
much for all the hard work.

We're excited
about the potential

that this has in terms

of solving the mystery and, uh,

- look forward to seeing you guys.
- Okay. Thank you.

- RICK: Thanks, guys!
- See you guys. Thank you. -[others saying bye]

- Appreciate it. Take care.
- Bye! -Goodbye.

Thank you.

It looks like we
might just get it in

under the wire
on all this stuff.

RICK: Everything appears to be

in-in place to expedite
the permitting process.

We get eyes and
boots on the ground.

We keep moving forward.

Get the shaft done.

See what's... see
what's down there.

It's that simple.

- CRAIG: Okay.
- All right.

- Simple. I like simple.
- ALEX: Yep. Yep.

NARRATOR: For Rick,
Marty, Craig and their team,

as another extraordinary
week comes to an end,

they are more confident
than ever that the veil

which has shrouded
Oak Island in mystery

for more than two
centuries will soon be lifted.

But as the clues continue
to mount all across the island

and the dig in the
Money Pit area resumes,

will the ultimate secret of
what happened here long ago

and what purpose it served

finally be revealed?

Perhaps only time

and the mysterious
forces of the island

will tell.

Next time on The
Curse of Oak Island...

JACK: We're gonna drain
the well to search the bottom.

Oh. Look at that.
Looks handwrought.

CHRISTA: This is
one of the older objects

- you've found.
- Wow.

PHAROAH: You have four lines

measured from Nolan's Cross

perfectly intersecting
at the Garden Shaft.

RICK: Wow. Let's get
the answers at the bottom

- of that shaft.
- Absolutely. Absolutely.

GARY: That is a
stairway to treasure.

- Let's go for the gold!
- ALEX: Yes! -[laughter]

- That's what we want.
- JACK: Yeah. Let's go.

That is awesome.