BREAKING: Smith’s Cove Discovery Could Be the Key to Oak Island’s Treasure!

I think we’re all quite excited that it could be the so-called flood tunnel booby trap system. Of course, we’re going to investigate. There’s definitely a void below these rocks. It lines up exactly with the anomaly, so it is the anomaly.

Over the years, excavations on Oak Island have continually sparked the same question: is there truly something buried here, or are we just chasing the echoes of history? That question was reignited during a key moment in Season 10, Episode 15.

The team was working on Borehole DN 11.5, located near Smith’s Cove, an area often referred to as the treasure zone. During the dig, something unusual happened. While Rick Lagina had stepped away to take a break, Charles Barkhouse and geologist Terry Math were overseeing the operation.

This location was already known for its elevated gold levels and air-filled soil layers. As the drilling reached between 78 and 88 ft, the machine encountered unexpected resistance — an abnormal pressure that raised eyebrows among the team. Drill operator Mike reported that around the 90 ft mark, the drill struck something solid.

Moments later, a void measuring about a foot and a half deep suddenly opened up. This discovery caught the entire team off guard. Interestingly, this depth aligns with earlier theories suggesting that something could be hidden there — possibly a tunnel, a chamber, or even part of a larger structure.

This discovery wasn’t just another piece of technical data; it brought a long lead to a find that mattered just as much as the find itself. That was the case when the team extracted a core sample and discovered solid wood fragments buried deep underground.

For the first time, they realized they had drilled through something intentionally built, not just natural soil layers. Geologist Terry Math immediately recognized that this wasn’t just any old piece of wood; it had shape, strength, and structure suggesting it was part of something man-made.

A sample was quickly sent to the lab for further analysis. Using X-ray fluorescent (XRF) scanning, the lab detected faint traces of gold in the wood and in the surrounding water. This wasn’t just speculation; it was hard scientific evidence.

The moment the results came in, Rick and Marty Lagina rushed to the site. Earlier boreholes DN 2.5 and DN 13.5 had hinted at possible tunnel paths. Now, it looked like those paths might connect to a larger structure extending east to west. It could be the same mysterious void the team had been chasing for years.

This wasn’t just another clue; it was a breakthrough that gave the entire mission a new sense of purpose. For the first time, the legend felt grounded in physical evidence.

The momentum carried into Season 11 as the team shifted their focus to Lot 5, an area with rich historical significance and promising leads. Excavations there unearthed red clay pottery shards dating all the way back to the 1600s.

If the dating is accurate, it suggests human activity on the island even before the famous discovery of the Money Pit. This raised a serious question: who was on Oak Island that early, and why? Were they just passing through, or were they hiding something that history has since buried?

One of the most fascinating things about excavation is that each layer of earth is like a conversation with the past. That experience continued on Lot 5 when the team found several metal objects along the coast, an area that had previously been overlooked.

But as metal detectors started lighting up with signal after signal, it became clear this part of the island might hold more secrets than anyone had expected.

As the investigation continued, the team began uncovering intriguing artifacts, among them an iron bar, a decorative metal piece, and an object resembling an ancient mining tool.

These finds hinted at historic activity on the island that could date back centuries. Even more fascinating were several coins discovered during the dig, including one particularly significant piece — a 13th century French denier.

This wasn’t just a rare historical artifact; it could be a vital clue suggesting a French presence on Oak Island, possibly even linked to the legendary Knights Templar.

Back at the Money Pit site, the team unearthed more compelling evidence. Wood samples taken from depths between 98 and 108 ft matched older samples from nearby boreholes. This strongly supported the theory of an underground tunnel system, potentially one connected to known structures like the Garden Shaft.

Though no gold or silver was recovered during this phase of excavation, traces of a rare and valuable metal called palladium were detected. This finding sparked speculation that palladium might have been used historically in refining or even concealing treasure.

Meanwhile, the search widened once again as Jerry Drayton and his team began systematically scanning the beach area of Lot 5 using metal detectors.

During their sweep, they discovered circular patterns embedded in the ground. At first, these formations seemed unremarkable, but archaeologists soon connected them to a central activity zone, possibly a docking area for boats or a location where trade and transactions once occurred.

This raised a bigger question: could Oak Island’s story involve more than just a hidden treasure? Was it once part of a much larger system — a hub for trade, transport, or even strategic operations?

Time and again, excavations reveal objects that might look ordinary at first but carry great historical weight when viewed through the lens of archaeology.

That was exactly the case during one of the Lot 5 digs, where Peter uncovered something unexpected.

As he continued to dig at a marked location on Lot 5, Jerry Drayton began a careful scan using a handheld metal detector. Before long, the team uncovered a long iron object, triangular in shape and pointed at the tip.

Jerry suggested it could be a cribbing spike, a tool commonly used in old shipbuilding or early construction. Its shape and metal composition hinted that it may have come from a historic building site, possibly even part of the elusive tunnel system believed to run beneath Oak Island.

Soon after, another iron artifact was found. This time it featured a hole large enough to fit a hand. Jerry speculated that it might be the handle of an old pair of scissors.

Lab analysis confirmed his hunch — the object closely matched the design of Spanish scissors from the 16th or 17th century.

This discovery strongly suggested that human activity on the island may have started even earlier than previously thought.

As the excavation progressed, the team began to uncover the outline of a rectangular foundation on Lot 5, likely dating back to the 1700s.

What made it especially intriguing was its apparent connection to a nearby circular structure, which may have been built a full century earlier.

Helen, the team’s archaeologist, observed that the center of the foundation had an uneven buildup of stones and debris, as if the structure wasn’t just built on flat land but was designed to conceal or protect something hidden below.

Further digging uncovered more remarkable items: creamware ceramics from around 1762 and a fragment of an elegant porcelain teacup.

These refined objects suggested that the island wasn’t only visited by treasure seekers or soldiers; it may have once hosted people of wealth, status, and secrecy.

Technology also played a key role in deepening the mystery. Using a cutting-edge method called muon tomography, which creates images of underground structures based on density, the team identified several unusual formations beneath the surface near the Money Pit.

One dense anomaly was found at a depth of 65 ft, just below the Garden Shaft, while others appeared deeper at 112 and 230 ft.

The size, shape, and locations of these anomalies strongly indicated they weren’t natural formations but likely man-made features such as tunnels or concealed chambers.

These discoveries aligned almost perfectly with theories the team had been working on for years.

In archaeology, sometimes the most fascinating part of a discovery isn’t just what’s found but how and where it’s found.

That idea came to life again during further digging on Lot 5, where the team began to uncover signs of something even more revealing.

The team uncovered a structure unlike anything they had seen before: a rectangular foundation believed through analysis to date back to the 1700s.

What made it especially intriguing was its apparent connection to an even older circular structure, possibly dating to the 1600s.

This repeating use of the same site sparked a new question: could this location have been revisited by different groups across different centuries? And if so, what was so important about it?

Archaeologist Helen observed that the uneven pile of rubble in the center of the foundation didn’t look like typical construction debris.

Instead, it suggested the structure may have been built with the intent to conceal something hidden beneath rather than simply to support a building.

At the same time, while examining debris from the Garden Shaft, the team discovered a metal object shaped like a nail.

Its triangular design and worn edges pointed to it possibly being part of an old tool, potentially used in the construction of a tunnel, a vault, or an underground chamber.

This find lent further weight to the idea that hidden structures beneath Oak Island are more than just folklore — they may be real, tangible remnants of the past.

In a separate investigation, what was first believed to be a coin turned out after analysis to be a 13th century lead seal likely associated with British trade activity.

This added yet another layer of historical depth to the site, pointing to early international connections that could reshape the island’s known timeline.

The lead seal, once thought to be a coin, was eventually linked to a company known for transporting military supplies in the 1700s.

This raised a wave of new questions: was Oak Island ever used for formal military or trading operations? And could there have been organized efforts or secret activities taking place between the 1200s and 1700s?

Every artifact, whether it’s a rusted nail or a piece of fine porcelain, adds a new layer to Oak Island’s evolving story.

These discoveries don’t just support the legends; they challenge long-held beliefs and prompt us to reimagine the island not just as a hidden vault of treasure but as a historical crossroads rich with centuries of human activity.

As the excavations went deeper, a new picture began to emerge.

Oak Island wasn’t just about buried gold or secret chambers; it was a place marked by many layers of history shaped by early explorers, secretive organizations, and skilled builders.

With every turn of the drill and every artifact unearthed, it felt as though the island was slowly revealing its long-guarded secrets.

The search grew more intense. Each new discovery didn’t simplify the mystery; it deepened it.

And that’s why Oak Island’s story has grown beyond just the team on the ground — it has become a global fascination, capturing the attention and imagination of millions of viewers each week.

In archaeology, when structures from different time periods are found layered in the same area, it signals that the site wasn’t just a one-time point of interest.

There was a compelling reason for people to return generation after generation.

That’s exactly what was unfolding on Lot 5. The overlapping circular and rectangular foundations discovered there hinted at repeated purposeful use of the land over centuries.

Helen, the team’s lead archaeologist, believed that the circular foundation could have served as a central operational base, whether it was used for storage, protection, or to conceal something valuable.

One thing was clear: it wasn’t just ordinary construction.

Adding to the intrigue was the discovery of a delicate fragment from a porcelain teacup.

Rare and refined, it spoke volumes not only about the presence of people with wealth and status on the island but also about the secrecy and purpose that may have driven them there in the first place.

It became clear that someone had once been on the island who was far more than just a laborer or casual explorer — possibly a military officer, a person of high status, or a member of an organized group.

The contrast between the refined ceramic artifacts and the heavy-duty construction tools painted a compelling picture.

There may have been a powerful force operating on Oak Island — one with the resources, technical know-how, and the ability to conduct long-term secret operations.

Covert missions like these require both manpower and funding, and the artifacts suggested the presence of both.

This theory wasn’t just based on speculation; it was reinforced by scientific evidence.

The team employed muon tomography, a cutting-edge technology that creates 3D images of underground structures by detecting variations in ground density.

The scans revealed multiple anomalies beneath the area near the Money Pit.

One particularly dense formation was located 65 ft below the Garden Shaft, while other clearly defined shapes were detected at depths of 112 and 230 ft.

The shapes and their orientations closely matched what would be expected of engineered tunnels or hidden vaults described in historic accounts of the island.

Their precision and layout left little doubt — they weren’t natural caves or random voids but purposefully built underground structures.

This shifted the team’s thinking even further.

It suggested that whoever had once been on the island wasn’t there by chance.

They were operating with a plan, possibly with the intent to conceal or protect something of great value.

It’s been suggested that the constructions on Oak Island weren’t just designed to hide treasure but also to protect it through deception.

Complex traps, decoy tunnels, and misleading structures may have been intentionally built to confuse and deter would-be looters.

In archaeology, the true value of an ancient object often lies in its context rather than its appearance.

This was the case when a triangular-shaped iron tool was unearthed during a dig near the Garden Shaft.

Despite being heavily rusted, the object’s distinct shape made it clear that it wasn’t just a random piece of scrap.

While scanning the rubble, metal detection expert