The Curse of Oak Island preview: A huge excavator starts digging up the ship in the swamp

This week on The Curse of Oak Island, the team begins work on digging up an ancient ship from the swamp, which will help solve the mystery of the island.

Last week, the archaeologists left the island leaving the regular team to change their tactics, and a side effect of this means the guys can forgo the gently-gently approach and bring in some big machinery to get the job done much quicker.

Tonight, viewers will see a particularly ginormous excavator roll onto Oak Island and set up position at the swamp. The goal of this monster piece of kit is to dig up the elusive ship that the guys suspect was deliberately hidden in the swamp hundreds of years ago.

The team has long suspected that an ancient Spanish galleon or pirate ship docked at a humanmade wharf, unloaded its looted treasure, and then buried it for safekeeping in the Money Pit area before hiding the evidence by creating the swamp and sinking the ship.

The theory first emerged a few years back when a seismic survey of the area under the water’s surfaced showed a ship-shaped object under the surface. And since then, the team keep finding ship-related artifacts in the swamp, including maritime beams and an iron strap from a sailing ship.

And at the end of last season, Billy Gerhardt’s digger hit a large object that the others thought might have been the hull of this mysterious ship.

Team finds more evidence of Portuguese involvement on Oak Island

The History Channel episode description suggests the team also uncovers some more information as to who exactly is responsible for the Oak Island mystery:

“The Laginas and their team narrow in on suspects for who may have been behind the Oak Island mystery as the swamp reveals more of its secrets.”

In the preview, the team appears to have evidence that is linked to the Portuguese. Recent finds involving pieces of gold in the Money Pit area have indicated that either a rogue Spanish or Portuguese captain may have stolen gold from South America and buried it on Oak Island.

Also, judging by the preview, the guys may not uncover the ship on tonight’s episode, but they do find some more ship-related artifacts. Expert blacksmith Carmen Legge will make another appearance; the guys show him a tool he reckons was used to “smooth timbers.” The always direct Marty asks him if it could be used to sink a ship.

Another exciting discovery at the Money Pit

We can also expect to see some more news from the Money Pit area as the drilling team continue to pull up pre-1795 wood and pieces of metal.

They are currently searching for a possible offset chamber that may contain the treasure, and from the preview, it sounds like they may have had a bit of luck; Terry Matheson can be heard saying, “seems to me it’s a shaft wall.”

The Curse of Oak Island airs at 9/8c on History.