Oak Island is one of 360 islands that dot Nova Scotia’s Mahone Bay. It is unique in that it is the only one blanketed with oak trees…and it has been linked to everything from the Holy Grail to Captain Kidd to William Shakespeare. The island is believed to harbor a fabulous treasure of some sort and it has claimed six lives.
Currently American brothers Rick and Mark Lagina are attempting to decipher the mystery of the island and Prometheus Productions is documenting their efforts for The History Channel in the series The Curse of Oak Island.
Imagine my surprise to get an e-mail from one of the shows producers asking for some advice related to the show. What specific advice is currently confidential but read my Life as a Human article Treasure in Nova Scotia for a hint.
My first visit to Oak Island took place on Sunday, August 24, 2014. I took part with over 200 Masons and their families including members of the Masonic Knights Templar in regalia. This was only fitting as one theory holds that the Templars buried their treasure, possibly comprising the Holy Grail on Oak Island in the 1300’s. In fact Rick Lagina told me he and his crew had just returned form a visit to Scotland and the Rosslyn Chapel, a structure which has figured in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, which is dotted with strange symbols and holds an ancient Templar and Grail connection. A new symbol was recently discovered during repairs of the building’s roof which may provide a link to my forebears, the Lairds of Feddal, Scotland.
In brief, the legend of a treasure on Oak Island goes back to 1795 when 18-year-old Dan McGinnis observed lights coming from the island and the next day found a circular freshly dug hole with a block-and-tackle hanging from a nearby oak tree. This was just one of the many which blanket the island, a feature marking Oak Island unique among the myriad of other islands in the bay.
The first written mention of the discovery was in the Liverpool Transcript in October 1856. Attempts to excavate the so-called money pit, all which failed, ensued from 1795 until present times (1866, 1893, 1909, 1931, 1935, 1936, 1959 and later) with various companies formed and failing throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Investors included US president Franklin Delano Roosevelt who often visited and who maintained an active interest in Oak Island all his life.
All told six people have died in the attempts a figure foretold as the number of lives which would be sacrificed before Oak Island opened up its treasure.
Our tour on a bright and sunny day in late August, led by Charles, took us from a parking lot near the causeway along a roadway which passed several unusual, huge boulders which when position is plotted form a huge cross. We passed a triangular shaped swamp which the Laginas believe is artificial and currently are draining. Like true pirates, the crew members have to “walk the plank”, in this case plywood, to avoid sinking into the muck.
Next stop was a replica of a boulder-constructed triangle that appears to be some sort of ancient directional marker. The original fell some years ago into a nearby treasure pit dug along the shore.
We continued on to the original money pit which when excavated revealed repeatedly deeper layers of oak logs, charcoal, putty and coconut fiber. The latter material was the bubble wrap of ancient times and was used to pack everything because it was light, durable and did not decay. It is not native to Nova Scotia nor anywhere within 1500 miles of the province. Yet huge mounds of it are found around the island, perhaps used to pack something large and important for shipping prior to burial?
The money pit also turned up a stone with a mysterious cypher carved into it which according to Edward Rowe Snow, an American historian and explorer, translated as “forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried” (see also Life as a Human “The Mysterious Treasure Island of Isle Haute”, also explored by Snow). The cypher on the stone bears some resemblance to ancient Semitic writing such as that used by the Phoenicians.
Bore holes penetrated through layers of oak and loose metal and a camera placed down the drilled holes showed images appearing to be a dead body and several chests. A mysterious fragment of parchment also turned up in one drilling sample. Among other artifacts an axe, a pick and and anchor fluke were retrieved. One of the problems with the money pit was recurrent flooding, many think is due to flood tunnels engineered to foil treasure seekers. Time and time again these booby traps would foil attempts on the money pit.
Our guide, Charles, explained that the money pit has now been filled in and current exploration had been turned to other areas. We walked on to view spectacular bore hole 10-X and then on to the site of tragedy which killed four men in the 1960’s due to inhalation of toxic fumes. Some think carbon monoxide was the culprit while others think hydrogen sulphide or methane may have caused the deaths in the tunnel. Witnesses smelled a “rotten egg” odor and heard the men gagging and choking. Having been a medical examiner for 15 years I can assure you that this was not the way carbon monoxide causes death. Victims fall peacefully to sleep and their bodies are very pink, something not noted in the Oak Island victims. Hydrogen sulphide on the other hand, from rotting vegetation perhaps, gives a sulphur or “rotten egg” smell and causes horrible gagging and irritation. It is the likely culprit.
Nearby is a stone carved with the Masonic symbol “G”. Many Masonic symbols have been found on the island possibly put their by those who buried the treasure or perhaps by workers over the past two centuries.
Oak Island continues to shield its mystery…for now.
After the tour, Marty and Rick invited me into their private trailer where we conferred for almost an hour. Let’s hope that they can finally solve a mystery which now spans over four centuries…and may take us centuries or even millennia further back in time.
Written by George Burden and Carla DiGiorgio
If You Go
Atlantica Oak Island Resort – a great place to stay if you want to explore Oak Island and Nova Scotia’s beautiful south shore.
The Friends of Oak Island – for tour information
The Curse of Oak Island – for information on the television series
Photo Credits
All photos by George Burden – All Rights Reserved
George Burden
george peters says
okay people, here is the scoop. if there is any treasure on the island, it was either found by the cabbage guy, how else could a poor sot like him buy up most of the island, even back then. or, the stone that someone dug up with weird writing on it said what, forty feet below lies 2 milliom pounds. okay, these guys have dug way down past that, so where is the goods. either some one translated wrong, or there is 2 million pounds there, just only dirt tho.
also add to the fact, that how in hell did a fairly primitive people, dig such a hole like that. when present day machinery can’t even get half way down.someone is really pulling our legs here. templers be damned, also pirates, no smart pirate would go thru this labour, unless they had years to dig out a huge area before putting said treasure in so deep.
it would take 100’s of people and 1,000’s of man hours to do this. the junk they find on the show, is just that, junk from over the years. anyone with a metal detector can find this crap, all over n.s., and elsewhere.other than that, the show is good for laughs as no one sane could believe half of what goes on there.
jimmy says
I think it used to be two separate islands in the past. Slaves could have built a wall from one island to the other to keep water out as they dug their tunnels. Then later filled in to make one island, and hide the entrances. To prove this theory all they have to do is fill 10x with water rather than try to drain it. Keeping track of the currents and tides while doing so, and see where the trapped green dye comes out. This should lead them to the entrances which i think will be in the triangle swamp area.
Haywood says
Sounds abut right
Jon Doe says
I find it interesting that they met with the Masons and Templars (which Templars are advanced Masons as we all know) when they would be the group who HID it in the first place. I believe this exploitation on TV is to FAKE nothing is there. I believe the brothers are there to make SURE nothing is found ….especially religious in nature. One of the brothers openly admitted he was a Mason. WAKE UP PEOPLE
Don says
I just started watching “The Curse of Oak Island” and im hooked and researching. My question is this…Ive seen on monument that Carl Graeser was one of the men that died in 65. However, everything i google spells it Karl Grasser. What is correct name? I can’t find info about him except the Karl Grasser name. My last name is Grasser, so im interested in finding out if i may be somehow related. Please reply when someone there has a quick second to let me know, or can provide me a link to something that help me on my quest. Thank you.
Mandy says
Check out Google Earth. …the little Island not far from Oak Island…called Birch Island. Another triangle. Could be a triangle shaped pond perhaps. What ever it is …you can clearly see it.
Happy hunting boys.
good luck?
adrew reesby says
hi laginas i love youre show i think you should put a hose down 10-x and use a high pressue pumpand pump water out of the chamber now if there are booby traps you should be able to find the entrance there would a worlpool pulling water in then i would block if you can.if that doesnt work i would dump a ton of clorine dow 10-x that should clear up the water.thanks goodluck hope you find something soon.
Dave zorzit says
I have an idea regarding 10X you could send down lengths of bell and spigot corrugated HDPE pipe to reline the shaft and make it water tight . Available in diameters from 10″ to 60″ I work in the distribution of underground waterwork products and see guys relining all types of failing storm sewer lines (large dia) and ditch and railway crossings. I am so intrigued by this mystery and would love to help out in any way. I deal with contractors that have been trained in pipe relining which would strengthen the original shaft.
JR says
Rick is looking for the Holy grail, which is the Daughter of Mary and Jesus. The Holy bloodline of Jesus, and her bloodline is held in the Inner Temple in London. And he also seeks the Ark of the Covenant, which is in a Temple in Axom in Ethiopia, ask Eric von Dainaken who has seen it in situ. The gold was hidden in Ren la Chatau, and found under the church by the priest about 100 years ago. Rosslyn Priory was where the Templars took the remaining gold, and it could be this is whst was hidden on Oak Is.
Jay says
Here’s a message I’ve pretty much given up trying to get to the Lagina brothers.
Dear Lagina’s
I too read the Readers Digest version of the Oak Island story back in the sixties and have remained fascinated by it ever since. In fact, one of my bucket list wishes has always been the hope that someone would come along and resolve this mystery for once and for all before I die; thanks for your help in this regard.
I have a couple of considerations to add to the mix. It is my hope they may assist you in some way with your search. For greater certainty; I m not looking for any kind of return should any of these observations lead anywhere; I just want to see the quest successfully concluded.
Please find the attached link to ‘Google Maps’. To be sure we’re all on the same page, I will refer to geographic locations as labelled by Google.
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Oak+Island,+Chester,+NS/@44.5116297,-64.2919346,394m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x4b59e0fcee16fb43:0x9ff524095dfd88f
1. On the tidally exposed shoreline of Smith’s Cove just below the point where Oak Island Drive makes its final and abrupt turn to the north, there appears to be a water filled sink-hole of some sort in the sand? If so, might it have some relevance to the ‘booby trap’ flood system?
2. If you compare Oak Island to nearby Frog Island to the east, there are some interesting similarities. First, consider the possibility that Oak Island once appeared more, or less identical to Frog Island from the air, meaning Oak Island may once have been slightly larger. If so, is it possible the flood tunnels, or other trap like devices were first constructed on a slightly larger land mass and then, by digging out the SE outer corner of the Island when construction was complete, the designer / builder created ‘Sheerdam Cove’ and had set his protective traps?
3. In line with the same thinking; has the shape of Smith’s Cove been re-contoured to achieve a similar engineering objective as that which may exist at Sheerdam Cove?
Sincerely & best of luck!
Jay
Diederick Zinkweg says
On dec. 4th.D Baker says let the swamp freeze and use heavy equipment to the dig ice and mud.I don’t know how thick the ice is right now and how long it will take to freeze solid to the bottom and then freeze some of the mud. let it get a little colder remove as much of the ice as possible then cool the rest with liquid nitrogen ,The ice and mud could become more brittle and easier to dig out Start around the edge of the swamp and work your way in.Dress warm and good luck..
Diederick Zinkweg says
Been watching your program for a while now. In one of the episodes you put dye down x10 and it shows in the water around the island in three places .After that nothing more is said about this. Could you not go to these areas and find the entrances to the water ducts that flood the tunnels and plug them up with concrete or other material. .
Could you not instead of trying to pump the water out of x10 ,cover x10 with a air tight dome of some kind and pump air into it and clear the water . If the depth of water in x10 is about 190 feet it would take about 85 psi of air to displace the water. This could also pinpoint where the water ducts are.
you could also freeze the water at the ducts for a short period of time using liquid nitrogen that in liquid form is below 340 below 0.
Rich says
Just watched the issue where they were using the large drilling rig. While drilling at a deeper level, an excessive amount of water started gushing out of the drill pipe. It continued gushing out for about ten to fifteen minutes then stopped. They apparently drilled into a chamber with an air pocket. The water pressure rushed in to fill the void and was driven up and out of the drill pipe until the pressure equalized.
Nothing will be accomplished until the water is controlled and prevented from flooding the work site.
What you find might not be what you want. Sort of like someone in the future digging into a nuclear dump site deep under ground, surprise !
chelseahodgson@live.ca says
Hey, I just wanted to say that I’m 14 and am rooting for you guys! I think what you guys can do is look more into the past. Find more about the surroundings. As people have said on here is that you need to look more into the past. There could be a way to get into the chamber without digging. Maybe there is a hidden door somewhere. If they put it in there so long ago with very few tools, and without machines. They had to get out somewhere right? Also if they were hiding the treasure from someone, they wouldn’t take very long on it so they were probably rushing. When people rush, they make mistakes.
Also, dont give up on the swamp. I KNOW there is something there. I can feel it in my gut. The island wants you to quit so you wont find anything. DONT GIVE UP! Also under the bare spot on the island i think those tunnels are the flood tunnels. I could be wrong. Either that or its the tunnels they use to get in and out of the chamber. In movies, there is secret doors under rocks, bushes, and patches of grass. I would keep my eyes out for that just in case.
Good luck!
Gary Cooper says
Rick, take a closer look at the tombs on oak island, I really believe u will find out how to shut the water off to the traps, in the tombs.
Doug Newsome says
Rick and Marty, if by chance you do find the ark of the covanent, don’t touch it, it holds an electrical charge capable of killing a person, and has done before, read your bible. this might be part of the curse concerning one more person must die.
Simon Rahali says
Hey Rick, Marty, It been said : that the only ones who know about it are ” the Demon or the man who buried it” but they forget who is the third one is GOD, so my question is Have you ever thought to have someone who can have a communication with that Demon or to the soul or the spirit of the one who buried that treasure….it’s worth the investigation
D Baker says
I would like to pass along an idea to Rick and Marty. No need to drain the swamp to dig. Do it in the dead of winter when its frozen solid. The frozen water can support heavy equipment capable of digging thru the ice and frozen ground below. Use warm water to rinse and shift the ground for any buried artifacts. Easier than working in muck.
Dan says
Ya. I’ve done some minor homework on the water tables from 600 yrs ago. N again. …I ain’t offering my advice with a $$$ amount attached ….but a simple email with a ” Thank you …you were right !! ” would be nice !!! I promise you never found anyone who enjoys problem solving …n the challenge …just cuz it’s there more than me !!! I’ll sign ANY NON disclosure agreement !!! …if u take n start daming up a area out in the man made bay …n pump the water outta that area ..n start turning over the rocks in that area …. you WILL get back down below ur 100 ft original mark of the $$$ pit. You got my email …. let me know when the wheel starts turning. They didn’t have MILLIONS back in the day to build this ‘Oak island ‘ 600+ yrs ago …..it’s NOT GUNNA TAKE MILLIONS TO turn up It’s secrets ..n undo it !!! 🙂 😉
Just a thought ….
George Burden says
Thanks for you insight Dan!
Dan says
Hi guys. I gotta admit …I’ve been a treasure hunter for years …n I’ve found quite a bit over the years. I’m retired Navy …U.S. Navy . I personally think that the looking and digging is half or more of the fun …than the actual finding something !! Cuz at the end of the day …your either enjoying it ..or your not ! 😉 and I just started watching …but …I think maybe …*** in case you haven’t yet *** examine charts n water tables dating back ..however many years you want …to determine where the oceans water lvl was during ‘ said ‘ year your wanting to see ….n when u do …I think you’ll like what u find !!!
Please let me know if I can help more. More heads are better than what u have …n if heads are blocks …sooner or later with enough ..you’ll have enough to build the pyramids with 😉 haha !! Just a thought !!
I pride myself on puzzle solving. The challenge is enough for me !! Good luck guys !! All the best !!!
Dan
Rachel says
I think this is so exciting. I had to watch every episode in a couple of hours. Just to see what you guys found.