The Curse Of Oak Island - General Discussion

[Quilt Fairy]

My thought was to investigate it from the aspect of IF people from the 1600's were digging these tunnels that fill with water, HOW is it remotely possible, with the given technology for the time period? I cannot for the life of me, understand how it is possible (ruling out Ancient Aliens of course!).

This has been my issue from the beginning. Don't most pirates just dig a damn big hole? All these sophisticated drainage systems and booby trapped tunnels that they theorize, I just don't see it. Of course, ancient men did build the pyramids, the great wall, Aztec temples, etc., without modern equipment or the help of aliens (sorry, Georgio!) so I guess anything is possible.

[riverheightsnancy]

Yeah, I would love them to be talking about the theory of how it is possible to dig the tunnel and all the traps with the water element. I know the Romans created a way to make concrete set under water (saw a documentary of it-and the guy doing it wasn't sure that it would actually work-it did!-so that was cool). How, can a person dig a tunnel if it fills with water AS THEY DO IT? That is the one question I would love them to address, because until they do, I think there is no treasure. If they can answer that with some sort of science, then I can entertain just about any of the treasure stuff Of course, bring in Georgio and the Hair of Power and he will answer it all!

[henripootel]

Don't most pirates just dig a damn big hole?

The truth is that most pirates did no such thing as bury treasure.  Kidd actually did bury some treasure on Gardener's Island but, IIRC, it was soon retrieved (although people are still looking for it).  I think Teach said he buried some but I think it was to stave off the noose (which didn't work).  So something that pretty much never happened outside of fiction, this is the foundation for these guy's claims. 

Yeah, I would love them to be talking about the theory of how it is possible to dig the tunnel and all the traps with the water element.

 

It would be possible but it'd be quite the feat.  You'd have to build coffer damns out into the ocean and whatnot, and you'd have to fortify them with stones and such to make sure they kept working.   So my guess it'd be possible but the traces would be everywhere and super-easy to verify archaeologically, even today (because they'd probably still be there).  Not to mention that digging the money pit itself would be comparatively easy, if there were several flood-tubes which intersected the pit at 80 feet or so.

[daughtersofanarchy]

henripootel:  Yes, my dh and I have been yelling about coffer dams since this series started.  I would have thought that one of the first things they would do would have been to get a boat out there and take readings underwater to see if there were remains of some kind of coffer dams.  How else could anyone have created any kind of flood tunnel?

 

Their thinking process, and the order in which they do things on the show, seem nonsensical.

 

In this latest episode they mentioned that, in the past, the last time Dan had gone down into the hole, the sides above him had started to collapse and rain debris on him, and his son only just managed to haul him out before a lot of debris collapsed down into the hole.  Now their readings show some kind of blockage down the shaft of the narrow part at the bottom and they wonder what that debris is.  What?!  Maybe it's the selfsame stuff that collapsed in when Dan barely made it out?  Duh to the max.

 

And all the stupid mistakes they made when trying to lower the divers' bucket down to the water level.

 

I absolutely loved the way Hutton Pulitzer had to show up with a bunch of lumber and do all kinds of reinforcement on that dive platform the gang had built over the hole previously.  If he wasn't there, would they all have ended up in the pit because their rickety platform collapsed?  Now that would have been some kind of finale.

[DB in CMH]

I saw a commercial for this show and it kind of made me laugh. My parents went to Nova Scotia years ago and my dad brought me back a book about Oak Island. It was written by someone who was a believer. One thing I always found interesting was that reports that there is something there were always made by people who have a vested interest in convincing other people that there is treasure. I mean if you spend a crap load of money trying to find something and you get nothing, are you going to tell people that there was no evidence? Or are you going to tell people that you found some evidence but there is no treasure, so that you can sell your story and your equipment and any rights to digging that you might own. As far as I know there has never been any unbiased type scientific or archaeological type of dig done.

 

I'm from about 20 miles away from Oak Island and I sometimes watch just for the accents. There are far stronger, and would make for a much more interesting show. Somehow, the ratings keep increasing though. It tickles me that three million people a week are watching a show about nothing from my home county.

[gaPeach]

I want to know how you could possible dive in a 27" hole with all that gear on?  How is that possible?

[Curious5]

Guess I was one of those who did take the bait of the Oak Island fable.  I was not aware of it and it made a great story.  Other than the fact they replay some scenes so many times, I feared they would wear out the tapes, I did become a skeptic. Simple question - where is all the money coming from for the drilling?  Maybe the History Channel?  The one brother retired from the Post Office - no way he could have helped bankroll this project.  So we have the oil drilling brother and other investors throwing their money away? Doubt it.

 

How is it that so many possible treasures are listed.  I almost expected that a time machine from the future would be added to the list or perhaps the Vikings Ragnar Lodbrok's sword could be found.  And so many "experts" who wanted their faces on TV. 

 

It is still a good story and I think it's History's answer to the Gold Rush series.

 

And though I believe  there is no treasure, in the story line - why did they have to use that huge cage to drop the divers down?  Why not just bring them down slowly on a hook?

[henripootel]

Simple question - where is all the money coming from for the drilling?  Maybe the History Channel?

I'd say most definitely.  The HC is, I'm sure, making far more from this show than the few mill it costs to drill and fly folks around.  I'll bet production costs alone make the drilling cost seem small, and, of course, they don't give a flip doodle if they actually find anything.  Heck, I'll bet it's easier for them if they find nothing at all - makes for a much broader canvas to paint on.  I mean since we know nothing about what might be down there, there could be anything down there, right?  The Holy Grail, spoils from the Battle of Issus, Marie Antoinette's underpants - they're all equally likely because they have no evidence at all to contradiction any of them.

 

And it's funny you should mention Gold Rush - I watch that too and there's a lively discussion to be found that it too is fake fake fake.  I mean those guys are actually in the presence of actual gold, and still they script pretty much all the 'drama'.  And they take few efforts to hide the fact that the costs on that show don't even remotely add up, that these guys would have to find like twice as much gold as 'they do' (apparently that's fake too, heavily augmented by production) in order to begin to cover their costs for fuel, food, and wages.  Doesn't matter - Discovery Channel is paying the bills.  

[Quilt Fairy]

I've come to realize that none of these shows are ever going to find anything stupendous, because if they did, it would be in the newspapers long before the show aired. If Rick and Marty ever found the ark of the covenant, or Matt Moneymaker found an actual Bigfoot or Josh Gates discovered Amelia Earhart's plane, no secrecy commitment in their contracts would prevent the news from getting out.

[gunderda]

Guess I was one of those who did take the bait of the Oak Island fable.  I was not aware of it and it made a great story.  Other than the fact they replay some scenes so many times, I feared they would wear out the tapes, I did become a skeptic. Simple question - where is all the money coming from for the drilling?  Maybe the History Channel?  The one brother retired from the Post Office - no way he could have helped bankroll this project.  So we have the oil drilling brother and other investors throwing their money away? Doubt it.

 

I was wondering this too - where is the money coming from?? I think they said they've spend millions already and it looks like their group is fairly large when they show the group shot of them but they all just have a loads of money to waste?

 

I still enjoyed it though - I'm a sucker for the cliff hangers ;) 

[Quilt Fairy]

They've always said that Marty has done really well in business and is quite wealthy and he's the one bankrolling everything. Now that I've read more about how much money the History Channel and Discovery put into their supposedly unscripted 'reality' shows, I have to wonder. It's one thing to say 'Let's bring in a bigger drill', especially if that's what you do for a living and you have contacts. But the 'Let's fly everyone over to Scotland!' really had me rolling my eyes.

[AnnA]

Does anyone know if there will be another season?

And if so, when it will be?

[Quilt Fairy]

Does anyone know if there will be another season?

And if so, when it will be?

Well, according to this article http://www.9and10news.com/story/29066083/special-report-treasure-hunting-on-oak-island they are filming a 3rd season, but there's no airdate listed. The History Channel website doesn't show anything new after last season.

[AnnA]

Well, according to this article http://www.9and10news.com/story/29066083/special-report-treasure-hunting-on-oak-island they are filming a 3rd season, but there's no airdate listed. The History Channel website doesn't show anything new after last season.

Thank you.

I tried The History Channel website too and when I didn't find any information, came here.

[Nicotrol Inhaler]

It's coming back November 10!

[Quilt Fairy]

Thanks for the update!

[Jenkins]

I personally think any treasure that MIGHT have been there is LONG gone.

 

But I really enjoy the back story of this entire thing, so I will definitely be watching season 3.

 

I actually remember reading about Oak Island in a Readers Digest book (I THINK the book was called Strange Stories and Amazing Facts...I remember it had this marble red cover with gold lettering) about 30 years ago at my uncles house and it fascinated me even back then.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Jenkins

[AnnA]

I'll be watching this Tuesday.

 

If they found anything we would have heard about it on the news but I'm still going to watch.

[Jenkins]

That is definitely the downside to this show...if they had discovered anything of real substance, it would have made world wide news.

 

Will still be watching every episode though...

[merylinkid]

If they found anything, we wouldn't have a show any more.   Yep, we want them to not find anything so we can watch them jet off to Scotland at the last minute to get more information on the latest lead.

 

I saw the previews for a new episode of Pawn Stars and they allegedly had a Templar sword.   But I knew it couldn't be because Oak Island wasn't mentioned at all.

[riverheightsnancy]

Looking forward to this, watched a few episodes because it has been on repeat leading up to the new season. I would imagine though, that if they actually found something major, it would be a news story and we would have already been spoiled by "real" news. I found the core sample of the wood and cement very compelling. 

[merylinkid]

They always find something "intriguing."    Then they go off to a completely different spot to look for whatever clue they decided to follow that week.    There is no follow through.   Oh the money pit,   oh the swamp, oh Scotland,oh the swamp in a different place, oh the Masonic Lodge, oh the swamp in a different place.    But they are all over the place with no scientifc method at all.   The closest they came was the dye in the water to find if it emptied into the ocean.   

 

ETA:  We get a post show this year.    Yaaay.    Okay we are not going to get explanations for why they do what they do, but it at least they are milking this show for even more.

Edited November 11, 2015 by merylinkid

[merylinkid]

It's been a week, so I guess I can post right after me.

 

"digging where the sonar indicated a possible treasure cavity."   No, it indicated a possible cavity.   You added the treasure because you believe any hole on Oak Island must hold treasure.   You believe this despite ample evidence to the contrary.   

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm trying to figure out if a satellite MRI (really, is there such a thing?) that showed Oak Island has caches of gold, silver, ivory, diamonds, and rubies all over the damn place is any more or less convincing than the Swedish guy last year who determined that the Holy Grail was on the island by deciphering word placement in a printing of Shakespeare's plays.  It's really 6 of one, half dozen of another, if you know what I mean.

[Jenkins]

I would think if that whole satellite MRI thing worked, those guys would be millionaires, if not billionaires.

 

Being able to see where precious gems and gold deposits are? Yeah, they could practically print their own money if that really worked.

 

Maybe I am wrong though...

[daughtersofanarchy]

Another season.  What a hoot.

 

Did you see the size of that digger they are bringing in next episode?  If they dig a big enough hole, and they hit a sinkhole, maybe the whole island will fall into it and turn inside out.  Then the treasure could be right there on the surface.  Problem solved.

 

Seriously, I was rolling my eyes when they spotted that hunk of "stuff" inside the pipe that had broken free and, they theorize, fallen down the narrow shaft and hit bottom in the treasure chamber.  Everyone is beside themselves with excitement that they may have a sample of the floor of the chamber.  That seems ludicrous to me, it seems physically impossible.  What do you think?

 

Oh, and we did find out what happened to the dye from last season - it stayed right where they poured it in and obscured the camera view they tried to get of the chamber. ha  Why didn't they try for a camera view before they poured dye down the hole?  Well, because then we couldn't spend all of this season trying to get a good look at the chamber.

[Jenkins]

This show could EASILY be a three or four episode series. There is just SO much filler...

 

We are heading in to episode 5 now and next to nothing has really happened or been found.

 

I am curious if they will EVER get a diver through that tiny pipe at the bottom of the hole. I am thinking that answer is a big NO.

 

Just the thought of trying to squeeze through a pipe at the bottom of that hole sets off my claustrophobia...and I don't HAVE claustrophobia!

[Quilt Fairy]

At least sometimes it's referred to as "just" an underground chamber and not an underground treasure chamber.  That's progress.

 

It seems their main focus this year is undoing what's been done over the last 50-60 years and doing it over, just a little differently. And it seems like there's been so much digging and excavating on the island over the last 200 years that all you're ever going to uncover is someone's previous attempt to find the treasure rather than any treasure itself, in the unlikely possibility it exists.

 

I was really surprised that their dive expert could not recommend someone who would perform the dive for them. It's easy for Rick to say that you can always find someone who has the talent to do something that needs to be done but it's Marty that's paying for it (unless it's all on the History Channel dime by this time) and if I was going to risk my life I know I'd want big bucks.

 

During last week's episode when Marty was interviewing yet another "theorist" about the treasure, I was rolling my eyes so much I almost fell out of my chair. When he was pointing to a number 187 found somewhere in some book (I think it was a book where the author had been contacted and insisted it was fiction) and then says "at that time the unit of measure was leagues" and he shows some meandering path up the eastern coast that conveniently leads to Oak Island, I thought he could just as easily been calling a square dance - you know, "Allemande left, allemande right, grab your partner, we're all in the fold, move 3 steps up and 6 steps to the side, then circle the Money Pit and find that gold!"

[merylinkid]

Oh my god, it's a treasure map right her on PTV.    We're going to be rich.   

 

Allemande left, allemande right, grab your partner, we're all in the fold, move 3 steps up and 6 steps to the side, then circle the Money Pit and find that gold!"

 

But you forgot to mention the source of the gold.   Be original now.

[Quilt Fairy]

Oh my god, it's a treasure map right her on PTV.    We're going to be rich.   

 

But you forgot to mention the source of the gold.   Be original now.

Yeah, I was trying to get it that Ark of the Covenant/Holy Grail/ Menorah from Solomon's Temple stuff into it, but it was late and I was tired and I couldn't think up enough words to rhyme. I'll work on it.

[merylinkid]

I wasn't criticizing.   It was a thing of beauty.    We just need to expand it, so you can go on the show as an "expert" and get some of that Disco money.

[ABay]

I can't believe I'm still watching this show. Keeping it on mute helps since the narrator's hyperventilating "could it be...?"s drive me crazy. Because 1. No, it could not, so just shut up, and 2. shut up.

[speac]

I swear I was rolling my eyes so hard over this week's show that I pulled muscles.  

[Jenkins]

Yeah, at this point I would probably bet money they won't find anything of significance this season.

 

Yes, I have seen the previews where they get some sort of sword, but call me skeptical...that is either from the last century or so or a plant. And even if it is from pre 1800's, all it means it someone was there that had a sword, not that there is any treasure there.

 

It is still an interesting show I will continue to watch, but the fact they have drawn this season out SO much without finding ONE THING tells me they most likely didn't discover much if anything at all.

[abbey]

I enjoy this show at least partly because I enjoy the lengths the narrator goes to try and convince us that the latest dig, scuba diver, etc. is going to discover something BIG! My skepticism meter is on high at all times but I can still enjoy it for the lenthgs they are going to in order to find something.  So far the Holy Grail has supposed to have been there, the Knights templar have stopped by, now there are Portoguese sailors stopping by?  Or do I have that confused with Hunting Hitler.  Either way I keep on watching without any high expectations.

[speac]

I love even when an expert tells them something that doesn't fit their agenda --like how the triangle rock they found in the last show, is natural--they immediately spin it into something different.  An expert tells them that a cross was Portuguese, it had to now be a different Knight order connected to the Templars. Not to mention all of these carved stones they keep finding have very crisp lines for weathering centuries of exposure.

[Jenkins]

It is honestly how I enjoy the majority of "reality" shows anymore. I just suspend disbelief and watch the show at face value, all while knowing 99% of what is considered reality is scripted bullshit. While I don't think this show is scripted, I think there is a lot of bullshit. :)

 

But it is entertaining and that is all that matters.

[Quilt Fairy]

Well, if I heard the previews correctly, next week someone tells them that the treasure on Oak Island is from the Aztec empire. I think I could see Marty rolling his eyes at that one.

[speac]

They'll find some way to connect the Aztecs to the Templars

[merylinkid]

Okay, the Aztec treasure theory is just too much.   Not that Aztec treasure might be there, that's pretty average for this show.   But the guy was so specific about what would be found.   Under the bedrock (yeah, how did they manage THAT), are 2 chambers:   one full of treasure and the other the burial place of Montezuma.   Really?   You've never seen it.   How the hell do you know how many chambers are there, never mind how you know what must be in there.   Just no.   Pure Ass Pull.  

 

I don't blame Mr. Nolan for not wanting these guys tramping all over his land.    Just digging a a hole, not finding anything, dig another hole.   I wouldn't want my land all ripped up like that.   Nolan may be the one sane man on Oak Island.   

[AnnA]

Okay, the Aztec treasure theory is just too much.   Not that Aztec treasure might be there, that's pretty average for this show.   But the guy was so specific about what would be found.   Under the bedrock (yeah, how did they manage THAT), are 2 chambers:   one full of treasure and the other the burial place of Montezuma.   Really?   You've never seen it.   How the hell do you know how many chambers are there, never mind how you know what must be in there.   Just no.   Pure Ass Pull.  

 

I don't blame Mr. Nolan for not wanting these guys tramping all over his land.    Just digging a a hole, not finding anything, dig another hole.   I wouldn't want my land all ripped up like that.   Nolan may be the one sane man on Oak Island.   

 

I agree with you about the Aztec theory.   That guy didn't give us a clue as to how he came up with that theory but he did explain how "chambers" in the bedrock could have formed.  He said they were actually standing on a cliff and the "chambers were carved????? into the cliff.  He also said the island was originally two islands and claimed the Aztecs "filled in" the space between the two islands to make one island and hide the cliff/chambers.  That's a pretty specific theory without anything to back it up.

 

If you didn't see the preview for next week, it appears that the meeting with Nolan goes well and he agrees to cooperate.

[Quilt Fairy]

I don't blame Mr. Nolan for not wanting these guys tramping all over his land.    Just digging a a hole, not finding anything, dig another hole.   I wouldn't want my land all ripped up like that.   Nolan may be the one sane man on Oak Island.

I don't think he's against digging per se. It sounds like he and Dan Blankenship had a disagreement about where to dig or splitting the as-yet-unrealized profits of the treasure or something like that, and it degenerated into a decades long feud. It sounds like he's been digging on his own 20 acres all along.

[speac]

what I don't understand is how they are supposed to have dug all these caves and tunnels on an island. The engineering involved would have been amazing--they would have to somehow counter a water table-whatever level the water is in all the holes they currently are using--which is probably sea level.  I would be willing to bet when they talk about drilling 80 feet down it's because they are standing on rock that is 80 feet above sea level.. It's like when you dig in the sand at the beach, the water will always come into the hole when you reach the same level as the water. To dig deeper than that you would have to have a way to constantly pump out the water faster than it can come in. 

[Quilt Fairy]

Maybe they need a cross-over episode with Ancient Aliens.

[Quilt Fairy]

The theory that the 'treasure' on Oak Island is from the Revolutionary War is the most reasonable explanation I've heard in 3 seasons of this show. I think it's much more likely than pirate's gold.

[Ilovemylabs]

I don't know what is more stupid...those guys looking for a 'treasure' that doesn't exist, or me watching the show in the first place!  I gotta get a life.

[gardendiva]

So many different theories about who put what treasure on that little island...it is all becoming wildly speculative, and I am having a hard time following the bouncing ball. The Aztecs? The Knights Templar? 18th Century French Royalty? The Portuguese?

Over 200 years of turning the island into Swiss cheese has not given up much. I don't hold out much hope that anything will ever be found.

[Jenkins]

Yeah, I guess every episode we are going to get a new theory on who put the treasure there. It actually is getting kind of confusing (and pointless).

 

I just know there better be a payoff at some point this season or they will probably lose a large chunk of viewers next season (if there is one). We are going to be at episode 9 next week and the best thing they have discovered is a triangle on the ocean floor that could be anything.

 

Believe me Ilovemylabs, you aren't the only one questioning why they are watching this. I guess there is a part of me that hopes they will find SOMETHING that will renew my interest....that and I tend to finish watching shows that I start, even when they end up being pretty bad. Not that this show is really bad, it has just been 8 episodes of filler with zero substance so far.

[Ilovemylabs]

Noticed that they are featuring Marty's son Alex now.  Hoping for a younger demographic?

[speac]

After watching the last episode it dawned on my that the only ones finding treasure on Oak Island are all the contractors they keep bringing on with their drills, backhoes and other equipment.