Rick Lagina: ”We Encountered Something TERRIFYING Deep Inside The NEW Borehole”’

The treasure hunt led by Rick and Marty Lagina’s team in Oak Island has always brought determination and skill to find historically elusive treasures. In their latest episode of The Curse of Oak Island, they took us to the Garden Shaft project. The team made a spine-chilling discovery at the bottom of the newly drilled borehole.

What are these findings used for? And what message do they hold for us in modern times?

Join us as we delve into the terrifying objects Rick Lagina found at the bottom of the borehole: ancient wood pieces and a rectangular foundation. The team’s search for wealth on Oak Island continues as they drill a borehole that could be a huge breakthrough. Rick and Marty Lagina, together with their staff, assemble at the Garden Shaft site. When they hit something at 11 ft, they believe that’s where the wealth is hidden.

They reached a tunnel that passes by the Garden Shaft. That’s where Rick Lagina discovered a horrific find which included an underground rectangular foundation and wood fragments dating back to medieval times. A full excavation around the foundation was planned to reveal additional secrets about Lot 5 and its subsurface construction. Each shovel of earth scooped has the potential for discovery, bringing excitement to the ongoing research.

Borehole 05-N27 near the Garden Shaft sees significant development as wood is encountered at various depths. This observation raises the potential of an unexplained structure or tunnel. Rick Lagina adds his perspective that the presence of wood at these depths could indicate tunnels or man-made structures, helping them further grasp the complex network beneath the island.

Marty is quite excited about the findings, noting that these discoveries will drive them to continue their goal of uncovering Oak Island’s history. The team’s geologist, Dr. Ian, examines the wood samples to identify their age and type.

The team is heightened in their excitement as they hope the wood is part of the original Money Pit structure—or something even more significant. Gary suggests that the search area around the borehole should be broadened so they can find a larger undiscovered object. With the discovery of the wood, they hope to search further beneath Oak Island.

Their focus is on a new borehole, D05-N27, which aims to solve the mystery of a tunnel around 100 ft below the surface that is supposed to hold gold. This time, the crew is well equipped with knowledge and manpower to guarantee they obtain all the information they require—and perhaps unravel the mysteries of this enigmatic island. Oak Island has been a haven of wonder and awe, making it the longest-running treasure hunt destination ever.

Excitement fills the air as the Dumas mining firm resumes its critical project on the strange island. Some obvious clues indicate this could either be the original Money Pit or right adjacent to it. After obtaining the requisite licenses, they are ready to descend into the depths, with the primary goal of excavating the shaft to at least 98 ft. This is a critical step toward obtaining important metals as hinted at by Gary Drayton last season.

Despite a brief winter hiatus, the team now has permits and can take advantage of the summer season. Their goal is to find elusive metals that Gary’s metal detector had previously spotted—close, but just out of reach. Recent attempts, including borehole drilling, have focused on locating a tunnel somewhat more than 100 ft below the surface, directly beneath the Garden Shaft. From there, they hope to move from the drill rig through that tunnel and into the Garden Shaft.

This strategic maneuver tries to steer the miners through lateral tunneling from the shaft’s base, potentially revealing the mysteries concealed below. The Oak Island crew is hopeful that this tunnel—believed to lead to the “baby blob”—may reveal a hidden chamber containing undiscovered treasures.

While the lateral tunneling process may take a few more weeks to begin, the progress is evident, which excites the team. Simultaneously, archaeologists are systematically excavating the extensive history beneath Lot 5. The recent discoveries of ancient materials add a new layer of curiosity to the Oak Island tale—especially the secret tunnel thought to hold treasures.

How is this secret tunnel discovered and utilized?

Archaeologist Helen Sheldon’s findings of intentionally buried features hint at clandestine operations on Lot 5 and raise concerns as they could be linked to the mysterious Garden Shaft. The investigation extends into alleged covert activities on Lot 5. Gary and Peter Fornetti’s collaborative treasure and artifact quest is expected to yield discoveries as old as the island itself. Every time they work on a piece of the island together, they unearth things that provide answers related to the long-sought treasure.

Carmen, a blacksmith expert, returns to provide in-depth analysis, adding to the expanding puzzles.

Each episode of the show gives a peek into history, revealing long-buried secrets at the center of the island. As Rick surveys the region with a serious look, he hopes that this breakthrough will lead to the heart of the island’s riddle—if the rumors are true. Marty nods in agreement with Rick, having resolved to get to the root of the matter.

As the team prepares for the important journey to find what has been hidden for decades, Dr. Ian Spooner, a famous geologist, joins in the discussion to assure the crew they are on the right track for prospective findings based on historical records and soil composition. At the end of the day, there is every reason to suppose that somewhere in those holes, there is something with a considerable amount of silver.

In such treasure hunts, the crew must discriminate between fact and fantasy. Many people have wasted time and resources following what turned out to be illusions. This is why the Lagina brothers make sure to attract as many professionals to the island as possible. These specialists assist in determining whether the team is on the right course.

As the drilling equipment is prepared, the team eagerly monitors the borehole’s progress, looking for signs of the approaching secret tunnel. Craig Testers, who are closely monitoring the drilling, emphasize the importance of noticing changes in soil layers, particularly non-natural elements like wood. The crew realizes the significance of the situation and sees it as a turning point in their path.

Regardless of the findings, Rick stated the importance of uncovering the island’s long-hidden secrets. As the drill progresses deeper toward the mysterious tunnel, it leaves viewers intrigued by the potential discoveries that may lie beneath Oak Island.

At the same time, at the Money Pit, an unusual development occurs as the crew finds a soft material at a depth of 53 ft, indicating the presence of a tunnel. While this is encouraging news, the crew recognizes the difficulties of extending the shaft due to logistical constraints and safety requirements.

Eisenth approached the Money Pit after the Suman officials assured him of his readiness and expertise for the job and expressed his excitement to discover the wonders within the Garden Shaft for the first time. They considered rehabbing the shaft so they could go underground to retrieve the objects.

Rick exits the war room and focuses on the historical significance of the scenarios, underlining that they are entering the past—and maybe solving a millennia-old riddle. The team, energized and dedicated as ever, is one step closer to discovering Oak Island’s hidden secrets, now with fresh approval at hand.

Rick Lagina adds that the project goes beyond merely extending the existing structure—he expects unusual findings. As they proceed, they believe that the Garden Shaft will provide better understanding of the Money Pit, various activities from the last 227 years, and what was done initially during the depositional phase.

The deepening of the Garden Hole is viewed as an essential step in their attempt to unveil the secrets of Oak Island. They see this use of the Garden Shaft as an opportunity to study what lies beneath the surface, which might solve the centuries-old riddle of the island.

Marty underlines that this is a unique point, with the possibility of finally knowing everything about Oak Island. Peter admits the technical difficulties and the thrill of the project, stating their aim is to obtain historical information.

The team hopes to get answers about what happened here. As they prepare for the next vital stage of examination, they receive permission to explore the shaft to reach a depth of 98 ft—where non-ferrous metals were previously detected. They plan to use the borehole drill to locate the tunnel under the Garden Shaft, which could lead to a hidden chamber filled with incredible treasures.

There are specific places on Oak Island where treasures can be found. But where are they? And what has been found there before?

Let’s find out.

Lot 5 — The Intriguing Structure on Oak Island

While the borehole drill was still active, Gary Drayton and Peter Fornetti embarked on a metal detecting journey on Lot 5. Directed by Gary’s expertise, their extensive search led to interesting results, including a cribbing spike and a possible historical item. These visible links to the island’s past story led to several operations and construction activities on Oak Island.

The duo intends to widen their search on Lot 5, motivated by their desire to uncover the island’s long-hidden mysteries. This man-made landmark near the seashore of Lot 5 is one of Oak Island’s most intriguing structures. When the crew started investigating it in 2022, they uncovered not only early 18th-century relics like crockery, but also established that it has a circumference of 13 ft—matching the original Money Pit diameter recorded in 1795.

The team is keen to learn how deep this feature is and what else it might hold.

Oak Island stands out among the 360 islands of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada because of its abundance of namesake trees. Originally named Gloucester Island, it later became known as Oak Island due to its towering red oak trees, Quercus rubra L.

In 1762, the Surveyor General of Nova Scotia, Charles Morris, traveled 45 miles from Halifax to Oak Island on a mission to divide it into 32 lots, each about 4 acres in size, with the majority facing a common road and all having water frontage. No other island in Mahone Bay had previously—or will ever again—be surveyed in this fashion. The Morris survey, in which he cataloged the island’s number 28, is still used today.

In 1795, a perplexing depression in the ground was found on Lot 16, accidentally leading to the longest and most expensive continuous treasure hunt in world history. It gave birth to the term “Money Pit.”

Many outstanding works have recorded the island’s rich history, such as Reginald V. Harris’s The Oak Island Mystery, Bert Ferno’s The Money Pit Mystery, William S. Crocker’s Oak Island Gold, Darcy O’Connor’s The Money Pit, and Lee Lamb’s Oak Island Obsession. Along with several documentaries, docu-dramas, magazine articles, and internet sources, there are many exciting backstories to arouse one’s interest in the subject.

During a substantial development on Lot 5, the team makes a startling discovery: an underground rectangular foundation known as a disco. This discovery brings up new hypotheses and research options, providing a new route for investigation.

While gathered around the newly unearthed foundation, Rick Lagina considers its potential significance—having been buried and concealed for an extended period. He noted that they appear to be in some sort of rock-filled excavation, with all of the items being quite early—as if there’s no modern mixing.

The foundation may contain important information about the island’s past, prompting the crew to question not just what it is, but also why it was hidden. As Marty analyzes the structure, he wonders if it’s tied to the original acts in the Money Pit or if it’s part of something much older.

The revelation influences their view on events that may have occurred on Lot 5. An expert appraisal was done by archaeologist Laird Niven on the structure. He states that the foundation appears to be fairly odd due to its depth and design. They discuss the importance of rigorous examination to determine its date and original purpose.

Gary Greatton advised using metal detectors around the foundation to find items that may provide additional information. The team speculates on what might be the object’s origin and purpose, considering its possible link to the money pit or other operations on Oak Island.

So, what’s so fascinating about this pit? Let’s delve into findings in the location.

Money Pit – the Hub of Ancient Artifacts

The money pit is located on Oak Island’s east side and is, or was, a more than 100 ft deep hole. According to island legend, Daniel and his crew discovered a man-made shaft with wooden platforms every 10 ft down to a depth of 90 ft.

The Laginas mention the story in Season 1’s opening episode, What Lies Below, when they talk about teenagers discovering evidence of wealth 200 years ago. The shaft’s exact location has been obscured since a haphazard expedition in the 1960s collapsed many tunnels cut around the original money pit, resulting in clay, seawater, mud, and other debris.

The Lagina brothers had also examined the areas with the hope that they were near the original pit, as well as other locations on the island. And like countless treasure hunters before them, Rick and Marty have been thwarted by apparent booby traps—tunnels built into the ground at varying depths to flood with water and prevent seekers from digging any deeper.

According to the Oak Island Encyclopedia, a 500 ft long tunnel from neighboring Smith’s Cove ensures that once the water is pushed out of the hole, it fills back up. It’s believed that the island’s treasure could be linked to, among other things, the notorious 17th-century Scottish pirate Captain Kidd, the English playwright William Shakespeare, or the Knights Templar—an ancient order of warriors who acquired a large amount of wealth and power. It’s believed such wealth was hidden in the fabled Holy Grail.

In Season 4, Episode 7, All That Glitters, Rick and Marty spoke with author Randall Sullivan, who believes the loot is from Captain Kidd’s final pirate raid on a Spanish galleon. In Season 1, Episode 4, The Secret of Solomon’s Temple, the brothers met with Peter Armmanson, a Freemason who believes secret codes were hidden throughout William Shakespeare’s works—pointing to Knights Templar riches buried on the island.

Whatever the treasure’s origin, the story of how it got to the island was hidden in mystery. In the centuries following, it’s been difficult to separate fact from myth because the available history has been preserved mostly through hearsay and speculation—not to mention the possibility of treasure seekers spreading disinformation to throw others off the scent.

Numerous treasure hunters think they drilled into a big vault in the money pit that is more than 100 ft deep. So yes, the majority of what has been excavated from the pit and its surroundings is of historical rather than monetary worth. Some things provide tantalizing hints about undiscovered wealth, while others reveal fresh riddles.

The Lagina brothers found coconut fibers from non-indigenous coconut in Season 1, Episode 2, The Mystery of Smith’s Cove. While the majority of the brothers’ discoveries had come from other parts of the island, one of their most stirring finds was at Smith’s Cove—a lead cross with a loop at one end, which was said to have been used by the Knights Templar. They captured this in Season 5, Episode 10, The Signs of a Cross.

Before the Laginas, other treasure hunters had unearthed a range of items under the pit’s depth, including ancient crockery, a curious piece of parchment paper, and freckles of gold on the ends of drill bits. They also found objects that may have been used to booby trap the hole, such as stones, wood, and mounds of coconut fibers. Also, there is evidence of attempts to block the flow of water—most likely made by previous treasure hunters.

They found coins dating back to the 16th century, gold links, and a stone with unreadable writings. According to a letter written in the mid-19th century by treasure hunter Jotham B. McCully, an earlier digger allegedly discovered a stone in the hole in 1804 at a depth of about 90 ft. The stone, which is around 2 to 3 ft long and 12 to 16 inches wide, resembles black Swedish granite with an olive hue and is not local to the area. The stone contains mysterious symbols, the meanings of which have sparked heated disputes.

According to one explanation, the stone was etched with encoded symbols that represented English characters. One such translation states that “40 ft below 2 million is buried.” However, other experts claim it was meant to symbolize French and that the symbols were tied to the Knights Templar. However, the stone hasn’t been found since the early 1900s.

A dig in the pit also revealed samples of human bone dating back to the 17th century. The DNA test reveals that these bones come from two people—one of European descent and one of Middle Eastern descent. Shards of earthenware were unearthed 192 ft underground. There has never been another human-made object discovered at that depth on Oak Island.

The imitation of Chinese porcelain on these hand-painted pearlware pottery shards suggests that they were made in Staffordshire, England between 1700 and 1800.

In 2022, geoscientist Dr. Ian Spooner and his colleagues—chemist Dr. Matt Lukeman and hydrogeologist Dr. Fred Michael—tested water in previously drilled boreholes in the money pit area. Surprisingly, an unusual source of gold appears to be buried between 80 and 120 ft deep and was found concentrated in a 20 x 20 ft region affectionately known as “the baby blob.”

While conducting a core drilling operation to get the source of the precious metals found in the money pit area, the crew stumbled on previously unknown tunnels at a depth of 95 ft in three different boreholes. They found out that it runs east to west under the garden shaft straight through the baby blob where high trace evidence of gold and silver has been detected between 80 and 120 ft below Earth.

Another discovery is the 82 ft deep structure that researchers originally thought was an 18th-century search shaft, but it holds high importance in solving the puzzles around Oak Island. In 2022, a wood sample was carbon dated to 1735, which is 60 years before the first money pit was discovered. The fellowship is currently working with Dumas Contracting Limited to reconstruct the structure so that it may be used to search deep beneath for new clues and riches.

The ongoing investigation has also discovered signs of gold in other wood samples recovered from the shaft, and the structure is now known to be just a few feet above the putative treasure tunnel, which is located at a depth of 95 ft.

Jaw-Dropping Discoveries on the Island

In line with uncovering treasures, what other interesting things have been dug up on Oak Island? Join us as we delve into these artifacts found on the island.

The mystery of Oak Island has attracted treasure hunters for generations. Rick and Marty Lagina have recently taken up the search for the Oak Island riches, which is detailed in their show tagged Curse of Oak Island. While the long-sought treasure hasn’t been located, the Laginas and other treasure hunters have unearthed several remarkable historical artifacts over time. Many more are expected to be uncovered during the next season of the show.

The discovery of the Money Pit is the finding that sparked everything. Daniel McGuinness, at 16, embarked on a fishing trip to Oak Island in 1795. Upon landing, he discovered an oak tree with unusual markings. A depression was also found beneath the tree. He started excavating with two friends and kept finding mended logs. Years later, they returned with a larger crew and they found a constructed pit they named “Money Pit.”

A man-made drainage system that uses an ancient method of rock placement to manage water flow without using pumps or pipes was found. Gary Drayton uncovered a wrought iron hinge that resembles the beautiful hinges found on Fred Nolan’s home. Tests show that it dates from the early 1600s to the 1700s and could be a hinge designed for a particularly thick door.

Dan Blankenship, a treasure hunter, discovered a U-shaped structure in 1970 while building a cofferdam at Smith’s Cove. The building has a notch every 4 ft, each with a distinct Roman numeral. The wood construction dates back to 1769. The finding of beams dates back to 1771—two decades before the first discovery of the money pit. This shows that there was activity in Smith’s Cove earlier than previously assumed.

A possible entrance to one of the five stone box drains has been found in Smith’s Cove. The Truro Company found these in 1850 and might have turned them into a tunnel designed to fill the money pit with water as a booby trap.

While exploring Lot 2, Gary Drayton uncovered a cartwheel penny depicting King George III, produced in 1797. A gemstone brooch was found while metal detectors were used on Lot 8. The brooch goes back to the 16th century and is regarded as the Laginas’ and their team’s first valuable treasure find.

A copper artifact was also discovered by Gary Drayton and Jack Begley in 2022. It remains one of the team’s most intriguing top pocket finds. It has strange symbols stamped into its design and is made up of a large amount of copper and considerably smaller equal proportions of iron and zinc.

An ornamental keyhole plate was discovered during a metal detector excursion on a lot owned by Fred Nolan’s son, Tom Nolan. Nolan believed treasure had been discovered in at least 11 shallow places around Oak Island.

Gary Drayton discovered two King Charles II Britannia coins from the 17th century. They were minted in the 1600s, over a century before the money pit was discovered in 1795. A French military cap badge discovered on Lot 21 could be from a French grenadier’s headgear from the 1700s. This relic could be proof of the Duke d’Anville expedition of 1746—a fleet of 97 ships and 13,000 troops led by a member of the ancient Royal La Rochefoucauld dynasty.

A decorative lead piece was found near Daniel McGinnis’s former residence on Lot 21. Its design resembles an antique metallurgy technique known as cloisonné. This treasure bears the same lead isotope as the lead cross, indicating that they were both mined before the 15th century.

The gold-plated brooch was the first confirmed gold recovered on Oak Island, going back to the 14th century. It’s unclear whether this brooch is buried treasure or was originally owned by a resident.

The discovery of a tag with the name “Ball” etched on it may have belonged to Samuel Ball, a freed American slave who became one of Nova Scotia’s wealthiest landowners.

A stone well located more than half a mile from the money pit on the island’s western side may be 800 years old or older. It never freezes during the severe winter months. It is also the only location outside of the money pit where water sample testing has indicated substantial traces of silver.

Archaeologist Laird Niven examined a stone wall in 2022 which has an unusual construction style when compared to other stone barriers built by 19th-century farmers on Oak Island. It has been speculated that it is not just of Portuguese origin, but the carbon-dated charcoal discovered within it indicates that it was made between 1474 and 1638.

Another discovery was a wrought iron spike dated from the late 1600s to the early 1700s. It’s believed it would have been used to secure decking boards aboard the Spanish galleon. This discovery could be further indication that a Spanish galleon and its treasure have sunk in the Oak Island swamp.