In Episode 13 of The Curse of Oak Island Season 12, Caissons Ho!, the Lagina brothers and the dedicated Fellowship of the Dig embarked on a pivotal chapter in their quest to unravel the island’s treasure mystery.
The episode dives into a monumental excavation effort in the Money Pit area.
Additionally, intriguing discoveries across Oak Island hinted at connections to historical treasure deposits.
The episode’s centerpiece was the launch of a large-scale dig in the Money Pit, targeting the fabled Chappell Vault. Treasure hunter Frederick Blair and his drilling operator William Chappell first encountered it in 1897 at a depth of 153 feet. It is a seven-foot-high, concrete-encased chest.
After months of groundwork, including core drilling and groundwater testing that revealed man-made workings and precious metals over 150 feet underground, the team pinpointed multiple promising locations.
With Vanessa Lucido from Roc Equipment’s aid, they deployed seven-foot-diameter steel caissons, aiming to bore down over 200 feet if needed.
The Oak Island team goes deep into the Money Pit with steel caissons
The first caisson, dubbed True Believer in a ceremonial naming led by Rick and historian Doug Crowell, symbolized the perseverance of generations of treasure hunters.
As the oscillator began grinding the caisson into the earth, the team hit wood at 87 feet, some hand-hewn with axe or adze marks, followed by a massive wrought iron spike at 91 feet, suggesting they might be nearing the original Money Pit structure.
Back at the Money Pit, a new wash plant, overseen by Rick, Scott Barlow, and Billy Gerhardt, processed spoils from the caisson dig, uncovering a heavy, square metal fragment that hinted at ancient craftsmanship.
At the lab, blacksmith Carmen Legge examined a hand-forged iron spike found the previous week on Lot 1, linked to Blair’s treasure map of three boulders.
Dating it to the early to mid-1700s, Legge and Culligan suggested it might have anchored a boulder, tying it to Duc d’Anville’s failed Nova Scotia campaign and a documented plan to bury treasure in a pit with a secret tunnel.
Todd Langseth finds a diamond-like object in Lot 5, and The Swamp reveals a man-made structure
On Lot 5, near the shoreline, Jack Begley, archaeologist Fiona Steele, and assistant Todd Langseth explored a mysterious round foundation.
Their efforts yielded a small hinge, potentially from a chest, and a dazzling glass gemstone or diamond-like object found amid soil matching Money Pit samples.
Lab analysis by archaeologist Laird Niven and archaeo-metallurgist Emma Culligan later confirmed the gem as a high-lead-content “paste” jewel, a French innovation from the early 18th century, possibly tied to the 1746 expedition of French Admiral Duc d’Anville.
This raised theories of Lot 5 serving as a staging ground for Money Pit operations, with someone of wealth and significance overseeing the work.
Meanwhile, in the northern region of the triangle-shaped swamp, Rick, nephew Alex Lagina, and others investigated a curious wooden structure uncovered at a depth of three feet.
Accompanied by stacked rocks, this find echoed a cobblestone pathway and slate vault previously discovered nearby, prompting geoscientist Dr. Ian Spooner to conclude it was likely man-made, possibly linked to cargo transport routes from centuries past.
The team speculated it could lead to additional treasure caches, though definitive proof remained elusive.
The Curse of Oak Island airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on History.