Smith’s Cove Unveils New Clues in the Oak Island Mystery
The enduring enigma of Oak Island continues to captivate audiences worldwide. This week, a new discovery at Smith’s Cove has fueled the intrigue further, as members of the treasure-hunting team unearthed what could be pivotal evidence in the search for the island’s long-lost treasure.
A Promising Search Along Smith’s Cove
The episode begins with metal detection expert Gary Drayton and Alex Lagina scouring the rocky shoreline of Smith’s Cove. With the tide receding, the duo maximized the opportunity to search for artifacts. “When people would have been slipping and sliding on these rocks, losing artifacts, the currents would have pushed all the artifacts this way,” Gary explains.
Armed with a metal detector, they zigzagged along the shoreline. Recent years have proven this location to be fertile ground for discoveries. Previous finds included metal ship spikes and the intriguing 14th-century lead cross, possibly linked to the Knights Templar.
Soon, the detector buzzed. Beneath layers of rock and sand, a significant find awaited. However, the cumbersome digging conditions required reinforcements. Alex summoned his uncle Rick Lagina, who joined with additional manpower and tools to extract the item.
A Heavy Iron Artifact Surfaces
After much effort, the team uncovered a heavily encrusted metal object. The weight and composition suggested it had rested beneath the shoreline for centuries. Back at the Oak Island laboratory, archeologist Laird Niven and archeometallurgist Emma Culligan meticulously cleaned and analyzed the find.
To everyone’s surprise, the object turned out to be a cast-iron stove door. Its intricate starburst design piqued interest, as it bore a striking resemblance to a button discovered in 2023 on Lot 5. “Could these artifacts be related?” narrator Robert Clotworthy speculated, raising questions about whether these items shared a common origin.
Further analysis revealed that the stove’s design and manganese content dated it to the mid-1800s. Though not as ancient as hoped, the find’s unique features merited further research to uncover its origins and connection to Oak Island’s history.
Revisiting the Restall Shaft
Later, the team’s attention turned to a separate area of Smith’s Cove, where they sought to locate the Restall Shaft. In the 1960s, Robert Restall’s efforts to locate the infamous flood tunnel led to the construction of a vertical shaft. Concrete was poured into wooden forms to stabilize the dig, but the forms collapsed, leaving the structure incomplete.
Digging at the suggested depth, Rick and the team uncovered wooden boards—potentially remnants of the Restall Shaft. To confirm the structure’s identity, Gary used his metal detector to search for fasteners or other man-made elements. The team found several items, including modern nails and bolts, affirming the shaft’s 20th-century origins.
While these discoveries did not provide direct links to the Money Pit, they reaffirmed the Restall Shaft’s location, bringing the team one step closer to uncovering the flood tunnel. “If you confirm the location of the vertical shaft,” Gary remarked, “you can hopefully find the flood tunnel itself.”
The Quest for Answers Continues
The juxtaposition of historical finds with more recent artifacts illustrates the complexity of Oak Island’s story. Each discovery, whether medieval or modern, contributes to understanding the layers of activity that have occurred on the island over centuries. “This story is complex, and it needs to be told,” Rick emphasized.
As the team prepares to dig deeper into Smith’s Cove, hopes remain high. The location has proven its significance time and again, and with the tools and expertise at their disposal, the Lagina brothers and their crew remain undeterred. Could the flood tunnel—and the legendary treasure it’s believed to guard—be within their grasp?
