In a continuation of the last scene of the previous episode, Season 7, Episode 14 of
The Curse of Oak Island begins in the War Room, where Craig Tester has just revealed
that the 106-foot-deep wood found in Borehole FG-12 in Season 7, Episode 11 was carbon dated
from 1626-1680.
The crew members agree that this discovery warrants the sinking of the first caisson
of the season overtop of FG-12.
In an aside, the narrator informs us that FG-12 is located 25 feet northeast of Borehole
H8, which yielded fragments of parchment and human bone back in Season 5.
Later that day, several members of the Oak Island team meet at Smith’s Cove with Laird
Niven.
The archaeologist tells the treasure hunters that the box-like structure discovered in
the bump-out area back in Season 7, Episode 9 is probably not of cultural significance,
implying that it was likely built by previous treasure hunters rather than the builders
of the slipway, and gives them the green light to excavate the structure as they please.
Billy Gerhardt proceeds to expose one side of the structure with his backhoe while Craig
Tester and Jack Begley strip away the remaining dirt by hand.
During this process, Jack has a brush with the island’s curse when a large rock breaks
free from some nearby dirt and slams into his shoulder.
Shortly thereafter, half of the structure collapses.
The next day, Rick Lagina and Jack Begley stand by as Gary Drayton conducts a metal
detecting operation in the northern section of the swamp.
After finding a modern nail, Gary comes across a hefty strip of iron with a sharp 90 degree
bend at one end, which he tentatively identifies as some sort of bracket or a strap “that
went around a chest or a box”.
The artifact reminds Rick of the wrought iron hinge which Gary discovered near the Smith’s
Cove slipway back in Season 6, Episode 16.
The treasure hunters phone up Laird Niven and inform him of the discovery.
Shortly thereafter, the archaeologist arrives on the scene, examines the artifact, and suggests
that it might have been used to reinforce a large timber.
Later in the episode, Marty Lagina, Alex Lagina, and Gary Drayton show the artifact to Carmen
Legge at his shop in the Ross Farm Museum in the town of New Ross, Nova Scotia.
The blacksmithing expert measures the artifact, finds it to be nine inches in length, and
subsequently identifies it as a bracket used to hold together large timbers on a ship.
He dates the piece from 1710 to 1790, and adds that it bears evidence of having been
subjected to a hot and sustained fire.
In light of Legge’s analysis, some of the treasure hunters later take the artifact as
evidence of the theory that a ship once lay in the Oak Island swamp.
Legge’s statement that the bracket was subjected to fire implies a new twist on this theory,
namely that the ship in the swamp was burned, perhaps in an attempt to conceal evidence
of its presence.
Following Drayton’s discovery of the bracket in the swamp, Marty and Alex Lagina accompany
Gary Drayton to the so-called Uplands- the area between Smith’s Cove and the Money
Pit, beneath which the Smith’s Cove flood tunnel is believed to lie.
Hoping that they might intercept the flood tunnel, the treasure hunters begin to excavate
and examine the area, Marty removing earth with a backhoe and Alex assisting Gary as
he sifts through the spoils with a metal detector.
Several feet below the surface, the boys discover a handful of square timbers which appear to
form some sort of shaft or tunnel.
The treasure hunters are soon joined by other members of the team.
While Steve Guptill determines the coordinates of the newly-discovered structure, Marty Lagina
remarks that the find evokes the wooden shafts discovered nearby, beneath the erstwhile Smith’s
Cove crane pad, in Season 6, Episodes 19 and 20.
These structures are believed to be the exploratory shafts which Robert and Bobby Restall sank
at Smith’s Cove in the mid-1960s.
Below the timbers, the crew uncovers two massive logs similar to those which comprised the
U-Shaped structure.
Nearby, they unearth an old square nail which Drayton tentatively dates to the early 1800s.
Charles Barkhouse then appears on the scene and, when shown the nail, suggests that the
structure might constitute undocumented work by the Truro Syndicate.
Thanks for watching!
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