Craig Tester: ”F*ck Oak Island!’ And F*ck That Scammer Rick Lagina'”

Me, yeah, absolutely sure, I don’t care how difficult it is. I really don’t. I mean, I’ll go in there by myself, and that Rick Lina is why you are going to find this treasure. We are going to find this treasure, from the endless search for the treasure that is rumored to be hidden on this Mysterious Island to the suffering of a tragic loss that could change the life of one of the most important members of the crew.

Here’s why Craig Tester is done with the search for treasure on Oak Island. For more than a decade now, we’ve watched the Lagina brothers and their crew as they tried to unearth the treasure that many have been looking for over 200 years. That is why the cast of this great treasure hunting show, and the fans watching from home, were left in a state of shock when Craig Tester, one of the most important members of The Curse of Oak Island crew, experienced a life-changing event that may pose a threat to everything that he and his teammates have worked on for some years now.

Before we talk about what happened to Craig Tester, let’s take a look at how he became so important to the Curse of Oak Island crew. Craig Tester may have been initially recognized because he was on hand to create one of the most successful media franchises in the history of the United States of America. That said, he may have received some more exposure by signing up with Rick and Marty Lagina so that he could take part in the treasure hunting mission taking place on this Mysterious Island located off the south coast of Nova Scotia.

As integral as Craig became to the Oak Island treasure hunting team over the years, it should come as no surprise that the team was shaken to its foundation when Craig was forced to go through a horrendous experience. It’s a shame because he happened to be on one of the most fascinating treasure hunting islands in the world, considered to be an alluring attraction thanks to the legends of treasure and other historical events that had taken place on the island over the last few centuries.

It is understandable that it remains an attraction to people looking to find their fortune in the treasure that is rumored to be hidden there. For those that are aware of exactly why Oak Island remains a source of fascination, they will tell you about how this was due to the rumors that there is treasure hidden somewhere on the island. As such, this has been the source of adventure and mystery for those who have watched as many of these treasure hunters find everything apart from the treasure that is supposed to be hidden somewhere on the island.

One of the more interesting things that was discovered on the island was this strange stone that had even stranger symbols written on it. Apparently, they only came across this strange stone when they were on the verge of discovering several tunnels and shafts that added to the mysterious aura of the island. Then there are the booby traps that add a sense of excitement and danger to the mix. Apparently, these booby traps were put in place so that those who came to look for these treasures would have an even more difficult time locating where “X” marks the spot.

However, one would find that although this was a deterrent, it proved to be an exciting source of determination for those hoping to find the treasure that was rumored to be hidden there. As such, one can see how these booby traps couldn’t stop the Lagina brothers and their team from achieving their dreams of finding this treasure on this island.

As a result, we’ve been able to watch as they explored several landmarks on the island in the hopes that it would reveal the location of this treasure. As such, they were compelled to refer to some of the myths and legends of the island as clues that may lead them to what they were all looking for. Those that may be familiar with the myths and legends that originate from this place would tell you about how some people believe that this treasure could be the booty that may have been hidden on this island by pirates who were operational during the Golden Age of piracy—a period of time that occurred between the mid-17th century and the early years of the 18th century.

Others claim that this treasure must consist of the wealth and historical artifacts that were stored for safekeeping by the Knights Templar, the ancient Christian military organization. With several more theories such as this, one can see how these treasure hunters may be on their toes as they try to follow the clues that may eventually lead them to their dreams.

That said, the team will need to be careful with their search for this treasure. Not only are there dangerous booby traps on the island, rumor has it that there is a curse that is attached to this search for treasure. Rumor has it that the Treasure of Oak Island is destined to never be discovered by these treasure hunters. The only way this curse can be lifted is if seven people die in the search for this treasure. So far, it has been reported that six people have died searching for the treasure on this island.

We’re not sure where the curse came from, but we’re pretty much certain that nobody on the team is going to volunteer their lives so that others would come away with this treasure. Consequently, one will find that most of the people that came to search for the treasure on this island decided to focus on the search itself rather than the curse. As such, while they may have found clues so far, no one has come close to finding this treasure.

Despite these difficulties, it appears as though The Curse of Oak Island team has decided to stay undeterred as they continue to search for this treasure that is supposed to be hidden somewhere on this island. Thankfully, the team has a strong group of people who are as determined as ever to fulfill their dreams of finding treasure on Oak Island. We’re talking about the likes of the Lagina brothers, of course, Craig Tester, Dan and Dave Blankenship, and Peter Fornetti—all people who have dedicated their lives to this cause.

With the Lagina brothers at the helm of this journey, one can see how these men will remain focused on accomplishing their mission on the island as time goes on. With the father and son duo that is Dan and Dave Blankenship, we have team members who have unique skills and experiences that could guide the team to the treasure that they and many others have been trying to find for over 200 years.

Then there is Craig Tester, one of the most valuable members of the team. One would find that he’s considered to be so valuable because he has the engineering expertise that helps his team dig the tunnels and shafts that could help them find this treasure. Then there are his other skills that have helped him become one of the producers of The Curse of Oak Island TV show. Thanks to Craig, we can also count on the contributions of his stepson, Jack Begley—another jack of all trades, if you can pardon the pun. Jack is not only a cast member that tackles all the difficult tasks in the team, he also doubles as a producer of the critically acclaimed show. If he isn’t directing an excavation team so that they could explore a challenging location, he’s meeting with other producers to schedule the next day for him and the rest of the team.

As important as these men seem to be, there are other people on this team that may take a backseat to those who may be in the limelight. For example, we may not be sure that the team may know where to explore without the contributions of Steven Guptil, the land surveyor who helps the team with spotting the important landmarks on the island. With him and the likes of Gary Drayton, the metal detecting expert, it may actually only be a matter of time before these treasure hunters find the treasure because these men help the team find crucial clues that could one day change the course of this treasure hunting mission for the better.

Same goes for Laird Nien, the chief archaeologist on the show. Without him, they may never recognize the significance of some of the things that they come across on the island. These and many other members of the group show that the team has a diverse group of people that would apply a multi-disciplinary approach toward searching for the treasure that is said to be hidden somewhere on the Mysterious Island. Each person comes with a unique set of skills and attributes that could be integral to this mission, and with every bit of luck that comes their way, there’s hope that one day they will succeed where many others have failed in the last 229 years of the search for this treasure.

As the team goes along with their work, one would find that one of the reasons that the fans love this show is that they get to see the dedication to the cause as well as the brotherhood that is forming as they search for this treasure. Maybe that’s why they are known as The Fellowship of the Dig. Sure, they may run into some problems and obstacles as they go on with their mission, but their determination and perseverance show that they will stop at nothing to find this elusive treasure.

One of the more determined members of the team is Craig Tester. Maybe that is why he has been able to establish himself as one of the most important members of the treasure hunting team on the island. Thanks to his background and training as an engineer, he’s been able to transition seamlessly from being an engineer working in the oil and gas industry to one who is able to direct this team on their treasure hunting mission on the island.

This is how he’s been able to express his technical skills to the team. One would find that it’s this expertise that helped him rise from being an ordinary cast member that joined the team because he was Marty Lagina’s best friend and college roommate back in the day, to a key member of the team who actually plans out what the team will be up to while on the island. Thanks to his role as a producer of the show, this has allowed him to combine his technical expertise in the engineering world with his keen sense of adventure and excellent storytelling abilities that one may find in the world of treasure hunting.

As an expert engineer, Craig was able to help his team overcome the challenges that were presented by the difficult terrain found on the island. Not only did he do this, Craig also made sure that he was available to give the team a hand when they approached the many excavation activities that led to some very important discoveries that lay beneath the surface of this Mysterious Island. Craig was able to achieve this thanks to the use of some of the most modern technologies available to them.

As such, one can see how Craig became a crucial member for the team thanks to his ability to give the team strategic insights that would come only to an engineer such as himself. As important as his contributions may be, we’re not sure some may understand how integral Craig is until they hear of his feats that he achieved during season 5 of the show. This was during a time when the team experienced many highs and lows as they searched for the treasure on the island.

Due to what was going on and his contributions at the time, one could point to season five as the season that Craig became more than just a mere cast member to the team. Thanks to his skills as a geologist, one saw Tester become one of the most important members of the team. Add the fact that this was when he came up with the theory that revolutionized the search for the treasure at that point in time, and one can see how he became indispensable to these treasure hunters.

This was when he suggested that it would make sense to find real, highly valuable folio editions after coming across what seemed to be an ancient book binding. To the likes of Craig Tester, this added more credence to the belief that first editions of Shakespeare’s work may have been buried on the island. As you can imagine, this was such a surprising notion to the rest of the team, despite the fact that there have been rumors that Shakespeare may be the owner of the treasure that was rumored to be hidden somewhere on the island.

Understandably, this was a source of excitement for the team and those watching from home. Imagine if there was truly a connection with one of the most significant literary figures in history and the treasure that is rumored to be hidden on the island. The cultural, intellectual, and historical value is almost immeasurable at this point. As such, this may elevate this treasure hunt from being a simple quest for worldly wealth. At the very least, this just shows how many clues the team has to work with as they search for this elusive treasure.

One may find that this theory may cause some confusion when it comes to understanding exactly who Craig Tester is. For those who may not know, Craig was born and raised in Glendale, California. Once he came of age, he attended college at Michigan Tech. As we mentioned earlier, this is where he made his acquaintance with Marty Lagina, a discovery for a shared love of treasure hunting that served to make them the best of friends that we recognize on the show.

That said, we must take note that Craig had other interests aside from treasure hunting. For starters, did you guys know that Craig was an avid wrestling fan? He even had hopes of competing at the highest level of the sport. Unfortunately, despite even taking part in several wrestling matches in college, Craig would find that the world of engineering was the world for him.

Thanks to his collaboration with Marty, the pair were able to find some success in the oil and gas industry. In fact, thanks to Craig’s expert engineering skills, the pair were able to make an unbelievable amount of money in the course of their careers. Interestingly enough, one would find that despite making tens of millions of dollars during the course of their careers, these men couldn’t shake off the need to go treasure hunting. This reminded them of their days in college when they dreamed of finding a treasure of their own.

Following the ownership of Terra Energy in Heritage Sustainable Energy, which just happened to be the largest wind turbine company in the state of Michigan, the pair did not necessarily turn their attention to the treasure that is rumored to be hidden on Oak Island just yet. However, when the time came, the Lagina brothers and Craig Tester began making plans to take on the treasure hunting challenge there.

As time went on, the team realized that Craig was able to advise them on how to approach some of the strategic locations that were perfect for digging on the island. Not only was he able to give this much-needed advice to the team, but he was also able to add to the historical narrative of the island in the show at the same time. How can you get rid of such a vital person? One would find that in the course of helping the team find the perfect and safest places to dig for the treasure on this island, he had to deal with a ton of dangerous prospects that put his life in danger.

As daunting as this may be, Craig still seemed to be in control of the situation—that was until something truly traumatic happened to Craig. This was the tragic and surprising passing of Drake Tester. As you can expect, this would prove to be a tasking time for the testers as they struggled to get a handle on the loss of their young son and brother back in 2017.

One would find that the poor kid’s demise was so shocking and so unexpected because he was simply too young to go. Born on the 17th of July 2000 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Drake was the youngest member of this family of five. However, one may suggest that his days may have been numbered from birth because he was born with a seizure disorder that would ultimately be the cause of his death as he eventually succumbed to a bout of epilepsy.

As you can imagine, the death of this poor young man left his family in a state of sadness and despair. Not only did it snatch a loved family member from their grasp, but it also wrecked the dynamic of this once happy family. Craig himself has confessed that he’s still plagued by his young son’s death and that he still thinks about the poor boy every day. Who wouldn’t miss a kid that seemed to be a positive influence to everyone that met him? He always seemed to make everyone around him feel comfortable and happy.

As such, one can understand how his death may have filled the rest of his family with a void that may never be filled again. That said, The Fellowship of the Digs saw that their friend and brother was in a state of despair, and as such, they committed themselves to supporting him during such a trying time. They couldn’t ignore how monumental this loss was. Imagine if they lost any of their kids themselves—they would probably be shattered.

Thankfully, they were able to give Craig the love and support that he needed to make it through this difficult period in his life. One would find that this helped the bond of the group develop beyond the professional relationship that most of them would have shared while searching for the treasure on the island.

Considering the difficulty that Craig and his family were facing, it made sense when he came to the decision to take a hiatus from The Curse of Oak Island TV show. It must have hurt him to make this departure from the show that he had dedicated more than a decade of his life to, but he had no choice. He had to lead his family through the recovery from this tragic loss.

It must be said that this decision somehow made the friendship stronger within the Curse of Oak Island crew as they gave their man the solidarity that he needed. They were just more than a group of men on a treasure quest—they were his family too. Considering this, he knew he was in a safe space that would allow him to prioritize the mental health of his family. Together, the Tester family came together so that they would work on this tragic loss they were enduring.

At the end of the day, this proved to show the resilience of the Testers as they tried to come out of such a difficult time. Considering this, one cannot deny that not only was Craig a loving husband, but he was also a father who was dedicated to all his children. Drake’s loss may have been a big one to those who became familiar with the kid after he made several appearances on the show while on the island, but it’s nowhere near as huge as the loss that was felt by those who loved this kid the most.

Sure, Craig may not be available to help the team get the treasure that they have been searching for over a decade. However, one can argue that it’s okay because he just lost one of the most valuable treasures in his life. Hopefully, this time off will help him recover from this tragic loss so that he can finally join his brothers as they take on the treasure hunting challenge of Oak Island.