Tonight on the curse of Oak Island I'm
not willing to give up you don't think
we could put an extra phone though why
not this is looking very expensive and
not too much reward this was found in
the bottom of the swamp what the hell is
that that big tree stuff what's that
doing on the middle no I wouldn't have
grown underwater then the swamp came
after the truth he's man-made it's the
money pit
I want to see what's down there that's
the top of the vault looks like we might
have been right oh wow guys do you think
you're on the vault
there is an island in the North Atlantic
where men have been looking for treasure
for more than 200 years they have
uncovered booby-trapped flood tunnels
carved stones with strange symbols even
17th century Spanish coins six men have
even lost their lives
according to legend one more will have
to die before the treasure can be found
two more
start pouring
after two full weeks of drilling Rick
and Marty lagina their partner Craig
tester and the other members of the Oak
Island team are still trying to locate
the original money pit how far are you
gonna go get to 140 I think you'd be
happy since purchasing property on Oak
Island seven years ago brothers Rick and
Marty lagina have employed a very simple
strategy follow up on every lead and
explore every Theory until tangible
evidence of a treasure is found so far
they have found coconut fiber at Smith's
Cove dating as far back as 1260 ad
coconut fiber that is believed to have
been used as a filter to keep ocean
debris from clogging a series of
underground booby-trapped flood tunnels
at the area known as Nolan's cross
they found evidence of a number of large
flat-sided stones indicating that the
boulders that make up the cross might be
part of an elaborate treasure map one
that points to the Knights Templar the
lost manuscripts of William Shakespeare
and sacred religious objects from the
temple of King Solomon at the swamp they
found a 17th century Spanish coin this
could be something big which validates
the many stories indicating that what
lies buried on Oak Island may very well
be pirate treasure it's a Spanish
maravedi probably from the 1600s now
they are determined to locate the
biggest and most challenging target of
all the original Oak Island money pit to
find it will take a combination of time
tenacity and luck three things the
laginas are beginning to think they're
running out of
hit any boulders no wood goal of any
long don't meddle I can tolerate
anything but metal money pit
who knows what's down there because this
legendary treasure site has been dug up
and filled in more than a dozen times
over the past 200 years virtually all
natural landmarks or man-made markers
have been obliterated and vintage Maps
indicating the money pits exact location
have either been lost or destroyed over
time well you can see it caved in Rick
and I had filled it with a bunch of
boulders for the past several years
Craig tester has scoured scores of books
in two centuries worth of anecdotal
evidence in order to determine where to
begin gathering a number of core samples
if just one of the samples contains
physical evidence that can be dated to
before 1795 then the Tingler found the
original money pit
unfortunately much of the area
surrounding the pit is filled with
layers of wood planking stones and other
man-made debris left behind by Past
treasure hunters which conventional
coring drills could not dig through for
this reason the team has brought in a
30-ton drill rig outfitted with drill
bits powerful enough to grind and dig
through just about anything small PVC
white pipes are well we couldn't get
down deep enough so we pulled forward a
little bit we still should be in but
they call that Triangle area that's
where Mr said his father had drilled
into them a margin back in the eighteen
hundreds yeah long time ago we're hoping
to do that again with this hole in 1897
Oak Island treasure hunter and drill
operator William Chappell while drilling
core samples in the original money pit
discovered evidence of what he believed
to be a large wooden vault at his depth
of 153 feet it was covered in something
that looked like concrete and on his
drill bit he found what looked like
flakes of gold small bits of metal and
even a piece of parchment with the
letters VI clearly visible but before
Chappell could dig a hole deep enough to
reach the mysterious wooden vault water
flooded the shaft
Oh caved in and the exact location of
the mysterious wooden vault was feared
to be lost forever while trying to find
the vault in the 1950s William chapels
son Melvin deduced that his father's
original drill site was located at an
area on the island he dubbed the
Triangle area the Triangle area was
something we discovered in a book and
then Rick and Craig delineated where
this triangle area is so we're gonna
drill basically kind of in the middle of
it mm-hmm trying to find that vault
unfortunately for the laginas mel
chappell also noted that due to the
unique characteristics of rotary
drilling it might be virtually
impossible to find the wooden vault this
is due to the fact that when drilling at
great depths the drill bit may veer off
several degrees based on various
underground factors such as soil
conditions and possible obstructions
what's that that black thing over there
that's a new method to separate the air
from the water and samples on the side
there's a hole where the chute the water
in the air and the material they're
bringing up and it'll spin in a circle
in there and the air will go out the top
in the water and sediments will fall out
the bottom then hopefully we get good
samples all right
so we're hoping everyone hit the vault
yeah bring some of that shiny stuff
laughs fingers crossed we want this
color can I use it as an example
no as operations at the drill site
continue Rick lagina has asked his
brother Marty and other members of their
team to join him for a quick meeting in
the w*r room okay before we start we
have one piece of good news we're always
looking for good news right
you have the drainage permit for the
swamp
for Marty news that the team has
received permission to drain and dig in
the Oak Island swamp doesn't exactly
make him happy last summer they got
encouraging readings indicating the
presence of non-ferrous or precious
metal near the so-called mercy point
only to then have the readings
mysteriously disappear this is crazy you
get a hit it goes away yeah and you come
up with nothing
how's that possible
this past winter big spike here the team
scanned the frozen oak island swamp
using a deepmax x6
metal detection unit still spoken but a
detailed analysis of the data they
collected turned out to be less than
positive you know I met with dave
spencer from kellyco yesterday and we
finally did get a report from lorenz on
the x6 and the z1 and honestly it's not
that hopeful do you have the letter yeah
yes I mean this is not too encouraging
because at the very end he says
unfortunately there are only one or two
ferrous metal objects we could see all
the others are of no interest that's his
summation I hope that is not too
disappointing for you I hate that swamp
have been clear about that stinky nasty
swamp we've run every state-of-the-art
instrumentation out there we're still
not sure so I would be willing to say
what look we gave that the old college
try and be done and put more emphasis on
the money pit guys I don't want to dig
anything in the swamp that's where I'm
at
what do you wanted I want to confirm
that the two items that were found yeah
are those two targets and we can do it
very simply with a b*mb you don't think
we you don't think we can put an X
through swallow
why not because we're not done yet we're
not I'm not walking away
coming up there's something there and I
intend to find out let's take a vote
where's that water coming from
you don't think we can put an X through
swung why not
because we're not done yet we're not I'm
not walking away the situation in the
w*r room has suddenly become tense as
brothers Rick and Marty lagina find
themselves a faceoff they could affect
the future of their entire operation
ever since he was an 11 year old boy
growing up in northern Michigan retired
postal worker Rick lagina has dedicated
himself to solving the Oak Island
mystery
he believes that somewhere at the bottom
of the triangle-shaped swamp the
entrance to a vast underground treasure
vault may lie
hidden yes we don't walk
away 190 percent of the way there
okay I'm not done with the swamp the
swamp is not done with us there's
something there and I intend to find out
all right I'm not willing to give up I
know that and so let's take a vote fine
right now
okay all those we want to continue in
this one continued
and I then I will I
will respectfully disagree but I will
wholeheartedly participate ecstatic
about us going back into the swamp ring
they say one more time I hate that swamp
it stinks its buggy
it's nasty oh love it yeah when you pull
Tutankhamen's second treasure over there
yeah I'll like it then don't get too
crazy on me
now that the laginas and their partners
have agreed to continue investigating
the Oak Island swamp Marty has called in
a local tree expert to examine a large
stump that was pulled out of the water a
few weeks ago we want it
well Joe look appreciate you coming off
we got some mysteries we want faults I
understand you're the guy to do it well
well you know all things book trees
right yes
marty is curious to know if the stump
found at the bottom of the swamp could
have naturally grown in water here's my
first question and I know this is
difficult because this is weathered and
waterlogged and everything but can you
tell what species this is
not definitively now
I would say it's probably hardwood it's
been underwater for some time and it
probably wouldn't have grown very well
completely submerged underwater one
would have to assume it it was a above
water it's home time yeah yeah I mean
this has been five feet of water it
wasn't grown there no you wouldn't think
as hardwood trees like the many Oaks
found on Oak Island cannot grow in water
the stump found in the swamp may help
prove that one of the islands most
compelling and persistent theories is
true that the islands triangle-shaped
swamp is in fact man-made but how
according to many Oak Island theorists
the swamp was most likely formed by
creating a 250 yard long coffer dam
bridging the east and west portions of
the island then draining out the water
and later refilling the area but what
would have been the purpose of such an
elaborate engineering effort the
creation of an artificial swamp would
have offered a perfect means to first
dig a large underground vault
or network of tunnels
barri something of great value and then
covered up beneath thousands of gallons
of dark brackish water water which would
also make access to the site difficult
if not virtually impossible the fact of
how certain Jill was that that tree
couldn't possibly have grown in that
location with the swamp in place makes
me want to not give up on the swamp
makes me want to kind of get back in
there do a little more research the
island lures us in again is what I would
call that Marty's renewed interest in
exploring the swamp is a sign of his
commitment to pursue his brothers
lifelong dream of solving the Oak Island
mystery but Marty is also a practical
man and he is starting to consider what
will happen if the costs start getting
too high
at the drill site Rick lagina and Craig
tester learned that the larger rig has
been successful at reaching a depth of
115 feet but they are still 25 feet shy
of their target depth of 140 feet the
depth they will need to reach if they
are ever defined not only the money pit
but also the Chappell vault okay solve
this damn thing once and for all are you
going to record books
the original descriptions were
clay-filled holes that's where we want
to be the Clay's where the original
money pit is and so we'll start fresh
with this last joint than any material
that comes through will be brand-new and
we could be in virgin territory even
we're not that deep we may be in an area
that nobody said so we'll take a good
look at everything from here on out I
got some screams to help build their
stuff out well somebody's gonna have to
be here yeah the best-case scenario we
see something really critical will
wave-wave jordan off
that's good idea last thing you wanted
m*ssile
as water and debris pour into the
trailer Rick and Craig search through
the mud for any evidence that might
indicate they could be close to finding
the original money pit treasure shaft
and gravel clay no we're gonna finding
it I mean
you know it'd be best if I were elected
much
the description of the old money pit
solid clay-filled shaft we get into the
solid clay-filled shaft we have a better
idea of where the money pit was and then
maybe we can drill a few more holes to
try to split spoon our way down and
maybe then recover
suddenly gallons of muddy water gush out
of the drill hole
got the number from below
the water issue is a concern it's a
danger where's that water coming from we
don't know is it flood tunnels or are we
actually getting water from some unknown
source and may destabilize the whole
working platform worst case scenario of
the rig topples I mean no one wants that
could rake in Craig if hit one of the
booby-trapped flood tunnels the same
flood tunnels that according to legend
flooded the money pit 200 years ago and
that continue to flood other searcher
tunnels and shafts like the Halifax
tunnel and 10x
it's rockin pretty good
could the search for the money pit be
over before it even had a chance to get
started
coming up how's the drilling going it's
frustrating I want to tell you what
Craig it's expensive too you know how
much of the hourly is for that rig at
some point we all have to be thinking
wind is enough be coming out
rocking pretty good step back
while trying to drill a 140-foot hole in
the money pit area to get a core sample
Rick lagina and Craig tester have
accidently tapped into a gusher of water
could they have struck one of the
legendary booby-trapped flood tunnels
the ones long believed to have been
constructed centuries ago to protect
whatever it is that lies buried on Oak
Island if so then the water that came
gushing out of the hole would be
saltwater from the surrounding ocean
it's not that bad
that is not so water
I heard see if we get David a drink
though in forever not according to
accounts by previous treasure hunters
the water that flooded the money pit in
the 19th century was saltwater unlike
the fresh groundwater found elsewhere on
the island
the presence of ocean water gave
credibility to stories of a network of
booby-trapped flood tunnels which enter
the money pit area at various depths and
from various directions
it is these flood tunnels which when
triggered prevent the area around the
money pit from being excavated and
whatever lies buried at the bottom from
being retrieved
although tapping into what could be a
man-made booby-trap would be an
indication that Rick and Craig were on
the right track so far as finding the
money pit is concerned a non-stop flood
of seawater would seriously undermine
any progress the team was hoping to make
what do you want is that salt our friend
tasted it we say it's fresh you - no no
let me do the bottle
no-no-no that's so let's come on
fresh I think it's really a brackish
we're braxton truth all in
no it's fresh finding French water most
likely indicates that Rick and the team
may have hit an artesian well one which
could pose a significant threat to their
drilling efforts the first thing of
interest for me is you know the old
stories money pit saltwater money pit
saltwater the curious thing was it
wasn't salty there's probably been an
introduction of freshwater into that
system so it's one more complexity to
the puzzle it's a little disturbing
though that there's that amount of
freshwater in there I can't explain so
as usual one answer to questions
[Laughter]
while the drilling process continues
back at the money pit site Craig tester
meets with Marty to give him an update
on the day's progress Murray I was
drilling going well it's going slow it's
frustrating it was he making progress
yeah he's making progress I mean the
actual drilling it's very quick really
twenty feet yes but he's not having the
same troubles that the other guy had no
he's got enough pump plenty long it's
got plenty of power it's just it's
frustrating it's not you want to tell
you what Craig it's expensive to you
know how much is the all release for
that rig and we've been out here now we
drilled two holes looking for the
Halifax tunnel didn't find anything now
we're drilling in the money pit I mean
at some point we all have to be thinking
you know when it when does enough become
enough right yeah I mean I don't burn in
money at a pretty good rate we need to
break through I guess you know if you
look at this year's efforts it's been
it's been disappointing we we got some
teasers I guess we just need to you need
to fight that vault
all right well you know what in for
penny came for bone let's keep going for
a while and see what happens
definitely all right good I want to work
through some more figures then I'll join
you out there okay
deal make some hole Craig okay see ya
okay
for Marty lagina his brothers
determination to pursue multiple
theories and search in more than one
area at a time may have increased the
team's chances for success but they have
also put a strain on the already limited
number of days the team could all be
together on the island this is an
expensive venture we have a lot of money
in this all of us not just me Craig Rick
and expenses continue to add up so at
some point the money will matter at some
point we have to look at the bottom line
and say this is still worth it coming up
if his concrete Rick concrete wood
that's the description that's what they
found at the top of the wall
back at the money pit site progress is
finally being made the 30-ton drilling
rig has been stabilized and the drill
bits have proved powerful enough to move
past layers of debris and reach the
team's target depth of 140 feet
if Craig testers calculations are
correct the team could find themselves
within a few feet of the original money
pit and possibly the mysterious wooden
object known as the Chappell vault it's
taking a long time to get to 140-foot
level but now ready to start taking some
split-spoon samples okay yeah let's do
it
the process is a relatively simple one
first Jordan Rogers of Valley well
drillers begins mounting a two-foot
coring head once deployed the drill will
insert a steel casing into the 140 foot
hole to keep it from collapsing then a
two-foot-long hollow coin bit otherwise
known as a split spoon sampler will
extract a sample of earth along with any
other objects present if the split spoon
can retrieve any artifacts that can be
dated to before 1795 then the laginas
and their team will have found the money
pit
at this point it just comes down to luck
did we pick the right spot is there
something there and how far are we gonna
penetrate into so that begs the question
why are we here however finding it right
there
we're just waiting for the split spoon
and it has to come out of that hole in
finally maybe we can get some
information up till now it's just been a
it's been a real money pit
that's not good it's gonna go up sloppy
wet yeah we're not gonna get a song
before
well he's got a slurry up to where its
ports are above it the car could still
be perfectly fine
we'll see
we're gonna fall barrel yeah
it is a suspense-filled moment for the
Oak Island team will the core sample
containing materials from 140 feet deep
underground indicate that they are close
to finding the original Oak Island money
pit
Oh
that's amazing
screwdriver
definitely got wood for my nap be nice
to know what that is what speeches it
would is yeah
there we go he's coming slowly
that's deadly
that's what they found at the top of the
wall
thank God bedrock right there I don't
think that's bedrock pavers concrete
Rick that is a possibility
concrete and then wood that's the
description concrete and wood have Rick
Craig and Dave not only located the
original money pit but also the
mysterious Chappell vault the one first
discovered by William Chappell more than
100 years ago well if this is a side
piece or we're coming right down the
side of it but like you said why is this
turn this at the top here's the top this
is sitting on top of this beam we cut
through that right into the side I mean
it makes sense
according to historical records the
strange wooden vault William Chappell
and his team discovered measured seven
feet high with seven-inch thick walls it
was covered by a mixture of clay and
sand that looked like cement which
laboratory tests conducted at the time
determined to have been worked by man
that is curious the two different
orientations of the wood it's curious
that this is old instincts have Rick
Craig and the Oak Island team really
taken a core sample from the legendary
Chappell vault and if so what might they
discover inside it pirate treasure rare
manuscripts precious religious artifacts
is the Oak Island team really on the
threshold of solving this 200 year old
mystery
when the first split spoon came up
initially its Wow
you know there's a wall factor to it
because we all see clay and we see what
might be construed as poor cement and
then there's horizontal wouldn't then
there's vertical wood well we were
basically looking at the description
from 1897 right there in front of our
faces but we should take this to my
brother yeah absolutely let's get the
truck and go okay coming out that's the
top of the wall looks like we might have
been right this is the core that's the
first course is the core do you think
you're on the vault I know my brother is
skeptical he's done this before I need
proof rings booth
Rick lagina Craig tester and Dave
Blankenship may have just made one of
the most momentous discoveries in the
history of Oak Island they may have
found not only the original money pit
but also a mysterious wooden vault not
located in more than a century
okay let's surprise the hell out of them
Artie trigger they doing good
Rick was right for y'all surprise for
you
don't say anything till you look at it
okay
this is the core this the first course
is the core which was down the top this
is about from where what depth 140 feet
142 so look like concrete in it it does
look like concrete yep you're right the
odds-on is that that is cement yeah
that's you know like the top of a wood
vault is that what you're thinking yeah
why the grains running the opposite ways
through top side great we're coming
right down the side based on the
alignment of the wood grain found in the
core sample the team believes they
didn't simply find a piece of milled
wood from the top of the wooden vault
but from a portion of both the top where
the grain would run horizontally and the
side where the grain would run
vertically in other words they get the
equivalent of a bull's-eye does it say
what the official appearance of it was
yeah clay cement wood I mean it's
amazing that's exactly what was
described in 1897 where they got the
piece of parchment ostensibly the gold
chain - right and they describe that to
a tee clay cement wood and I think wow
geez Craig you nailed it this is great
guys I guess you couldn't ask for any
better he got cement wood fibers running
this way wood fibers running that way
right everybody since 1897 when that
vault was first found has been trying to
refine this and nobody has found it
Craig for the first time I've ever seen
him is over the moon about this and I
know my brother skeptically Lee he's
done this before I cannae brutha need
proof I need proof we were just on the
very edge
if we're on the outside you know this is
classic Oak Island right we're gonna
drill another one army which way all
four ways all six ways where any bets
next two feet shiny golden and you
clearly shortly after finding the
cement-covered wooden vault in 1897
William Chappell and his colleagues
continued drilling additional core
samples upon reaching a depth of 100
feet they were stopped by what they
believed to be a large heavy metal
object located directly beneath the
mysterious wood involved could it have
been a second treasure site one that's
contents were considered so priceless or
so dangerous that it had be encased in
metal the treasure hunters would never
know because before they could excavate
the site the
flooded with seawater from what appeared
to be yet another underground booby trap
the gigantic hole was filled in and
William Chappell and his colleagues went
home empty-handed okay let's go get us
another court right away yep let's go we
should take this to dance
the news that Rick Craig and Dave
Blankenship have made an incredible
discovery has reenergized the team on
Oak Island but did they really find not
only the original money pit but also the
mysterious Chappell vault I'll go get
dad see if he's up
so you gotta tell me one thing
what why you of all people are that
excited cold calculating scientific
detached analysis Craig why are you so
exciting it fits the story I mean you
know I I am a skeptic and many things
but and you know we got to see what what
Dan says but you know hey Dan we need
you to tell us what we found Rick
hopefully hope what's that look like
dan did a lot of work in the money pit
he punched a lot of holes with the old
churn drill he has a keen intellect and
a keen memory so he brings an asset that
we don't have like Rick lagina dan
Blankenship has spent nearly 50 years
determined to solve the mystery he has
spent thousands of hours drilling coring
and digging and is met with more than
his fair share of setbacks and bad luck
for him Oak Island is both an obsession
and a curse and obsession to find out
what lies buried here and a curse if he
should be forced to leave the island
empty-handed in the collection core or
something you can see some kind of
material around it here it's in here
we go that's for sure I find that would
very interesting because of the
difference this is this direction this
is that direction you've noticed that
I'm sure and this one here is in the
vertical yeah up and down
[Music]
you may have something chapel's long I'm
wondering is this the top of the vault
and we're hitting the side and we hit a
a post on the side
if this is chapels vault that's the
culmination of some 45 years work
you
know what your odds are in something I'm
after all these many years and so many
holes been put down yeah astronomical
really well I'll tell you one thing Dan
I told you we weren't giving up and
we're not gonna give up what he said oh
I think you have basis would you call it
optimism
okay today was a good day
on Oak Island information has been
gathered and progress has been made but
more than that faith has been renewed
make some core again bring it up bring
it all right for Marty lagina finding
the money pit means that all the years
of hard work and the millions of dollars
spent so far may all have been worth it
it's the encouragement we needed again
it always seems to happen on this bloody
Island you know what's the time you're
in the pits and you're ready to give up
and say let's go home
something happens to get you wired back
in the time will tell but I think this
is a small victory for Rick it means
that the 50 years he spent believing in
a dream may not have been in vain
hopefully when the next one comes up
we'll have something to look at it's
always been my hope and my dream to be
successful best-case scenario as to
what's down there is we actually
following the original money pit
that's incredible we've moved the dial
then on the Oak Island history so I'm
excited about that
but also to see what
own eyes that those old stories are real
but now there is much more work to do
finding the money pit is one thing
reaching and retrieving whatever lies at
the bottom is quite another and what
will the laginas and their partners
ultimately find an underground treasure
vault chests of gold priceless objects
and sacred artifacts or will it be
something so incredible and so powerful
that the elaborate way in which it was
hidden was meant to be taken as a
warning ready
here we go next time on the curse of Oak
Island there we go tell them what we're
on the side something we need to figure
the best way to take a look at that
cipher is the instruction on how to stop
the flood traps I still think the swamp
has something to tell us x marks the
spot we found another coin it could be
very significant looks like we've
definitely got something looks like it's
Knights Templar cross right now this
ends right here
02x04 - The Breakthrough
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Follows brothers Marty and Rick as they search for the infamous treasure on Oak Island.
Follows brothers Marty and Rick as they search for the infamous treasure on Oak Island.