In the last part, we learn about wild theories of what the oak island treasure is. Shakespeare? Antoinette? Pirates? Freemasons? Sure, why not throw in Aliens while we’re at it? But, who on earth actually got this treasure hunt rolling in the first place? Who’s responsible for decades of digging and disappointment? It’s time to shift the focus from the treasure to the person behind this never-ending saga.
Discovery 1: A Hole Must Be A Treasure Pit!
Ah, 1796—a simpler time, when boys could just wander through the woods and stumble upon world-changing discoveries. Take Daniel McGinnis, for example. One fine day, this young lad was out exploring Oak Island (as you do), when he noticed something incredibly strange: a circular hole in the earth. Now, most kids would probably shrug and move on, but not our young hero. Oh no, Daniel instantly knew that this was no ordinary patch of dirt. This was a potential treasure pit!
Because obviously, when you see a depression in the ground, the first thing that comes to mind is buried treasure—right? Not a sinkhole, or animal burrow, or anything boring like that. No, this was the stuff of pirate legends. Daniel also noticed that a nearby tree had some branches suspiciously cut away. Of course, the only logical conclusion was that the tree was used as a pulley to hoist up heavy treasure chests. I mean, what else would it be used for? There was absolutely no chance those branches were just pruned like, you know, branches on trees tend to be. Nope, pirate treasure for sure!
Discovery 2: Who Wouldn’t Bury Treasure Under a Flagstones
Now, Daniel could have gone home and been content with his fantastical discovery, but let’s face it, that would be way too normal. So, like any self-respecting treasure hunter, Daniel did the only thing you could do when faced with a mysterious treasure pit: he called up his buddies, John Smith and Anthony Vaughn, to help him dig it up.
Armed with nothing more than youthful enthusiasm (and possibly some rusty shovels), the three boys set to work. Digging two feet down, they hit… wait for it… flagstone! Yes, flagstone. I mean, what else would you expect in a treasure pit other than beautifully laid stone flooring? Because pirates are nothing if not professional constructors with a flair for interior design.
Naturally, this minor discovery didn’t deter the boys at all. In fact, it only convinced them that they were definitely onto something big. After all, if you were a pirate, wouldn’t you hide your treasure under multiple layers of flagstone? Makes perfect sense, right?
Discovery 3: Every Treasure Pit Needs Oak Logs!
Encouraged by their two-foot triumph, the boys decided to press on. Clearly, they weren’t the kind to let a bit of physical labor stand between them and their inevitable future as treasure tycoons. So, they kept digging, and guess what they found? Oak logs. Layers and layers of oak logs at various depths.
Now, if you’re thinking, “Wow, this seems a bit excessive,” you’re not alone. But remember, this is a treasure pit. You don’t just bury treasure a couple of feet deep like some amateur. No, you make sure to build an elaborate system of logs and barriers, because the best way to hide something is to make it look like a bad Jenga game.
The boys, unfortunately, had to stop digging once they reached about 30 feet. Turns out, digging deep holes is a lot harder than it looks. Go figure. So, they put their oak island treasure dreams on hold, telling themselves they’d come back one day when they had better tools and, you know, actual shovels.
Discovery 4: Confusing Stone Tablet Must Be Buried Too!
Fast forward almost a decade later, and enter the Onslow Company—a group of adults who apparently had nothing better to do than pick up where three teenage boys had left off. Armed with more advanced tools and an unwavering belief in buried pirate treasure, the company dug even deeper into the same spot.
And guess what they found? More oak logs! Oh, and this time, just to keep things interesting, they discovered coconut fiber and charcoal mixed in as well. Because nothing says “pirate treasure” like layers of tropical material buried in a cold Canadian island. Clearly, the pirates wanted to leave a bit of the Caribbean behind as a clue for future treasure hunters.
But the pièce de résistance of their dig? They stumbled upon a mysterious stone tablet with strange markings on it. Aha! This must be the treasure map they were hoping for, right? Wrong.
They had no idea what the tablet meant, but obviously, it was important. Perhaps it was the pirates’ ideal tactic to mislead oak island treasure hunters, though they didn’t quite succeed—while it took 90 years to finally reveal what was literally etched in stone, the digging persisted.
Discovery 5: When You Dig Deep, You Hit Water
Just when things were starting to look promising, disaster struck. After removing yet another layer of oak logs (because apparently pirates loved their logs), water started flooding into the pit. Yes, folks, the oak island treasure pit had been booby-trapped with an elaborate flooding mechanism—because if there’s one thing pirates were really known for, it’s their advanced hydraulic engineering skills.
So, there they were, imagining they were about to pull out some glittering gold or priceless jewels, only to be met with a torrent of water gushing into their carefully dug pit. Could this mean that all their work had been for nothing? Had they fallen victim to one of the greatest decoys in pirate history?
Well, obviously, this was just a minor setback. The Onslow Company wasn’t about to give up so easily. So, what do they do? They decide to dig a tunnel to try and drain the water out. Because when in doubt, dig another hole! That’s always the best solution, right?
Discovery 6: Water Defeats Even the Persistent Treasure Hunters
But, surprise surprise, nothing worked. No matter what they did, the pit kept filling up with water, rendering all their efforts pointless. It turns out the treasure pit was connected to the ocean by a 500-foot waterway leading to Smith’s Cove. So, every time they tried to empty it, the pit just filled right back up with fresh seawater. How convenient!
This ingenious water trap meant that the ak Island treasure was now officially out of reach. Who knew pirates were such expert hydrologists? The Onslow Company, defeated by the relentless flooding, realized that they couldn’t push their search any further. After all, there’s only so much water you can bail before you have to admit defeat.
Oak Island Treasure: Who Will Defeat the Water?
In the end, the pit’s elaborate flooding system remains one of the great unsolved mysteries of Oak Island treasure hunt . Was it really a booby trap set by pirates to protect their loot, or was the whole thing just one giant natural sinkhole that everyone decided to romanticize? Who knows? One thing’s for sure: the pit is a lot better at holding water than it is at giving up its treasure.
Next Part: Was Oak Island Treasure Found or Just Few Gold Coins?