Curse of Oak Island Season 13 Episode 7: Newly Drilled Well Strikes Gold in the “Solution Channel”
In the fog-shrouded expanse of Oak Island, where legends of buried treasure have tantalized seekers for over two centuries, the Lagina brothers and their team are unearthing clues that could rewrite history. Season 13’s seventh episode of The Curse of Oak Island delivers a trifecta of discoveries— from deep-earth anomalies in the Money Pit to archaeological gems on Lot 5 and a island-spanning geometric puzzle—that suggest the infamous site may hold more than pirate gold: a multigenerational enigma tied to ancient orders and engineering marvels.
The action kicks off at the Money Pit, the island’s notorious epicenter, where brothers Rick and Marty Lagina have drilled a new borehole, I9.5, targeting depths of 210 to 230 feet. Geologists Dr. Ian Spooner and Dr. Aaron Michael had earlier detected elevated levels of dissolved gold, silver, and other precious metals in the area’s water, hinting at either natural deposits or remnants of a man-made hoard. As the drill bit into a “solution channel”—a geological void—the team hit paydirt: loose, water-saturated “soupy material” at 209 feet, indicative of collapsed structures where treasure might have settled.
Excitement peaked when historian Charles Barkhouse scanned the core sample with a pinpointer, detecting metal. Though the signal faded on re-scan—a common “phantom hit” on the island—geologist Katya’s advanced Manicore detector confirmed metallic traces embedded in clay clumps. The sample is now en route to a lab for microscopic analysis. “If we find gold dust or silver flakes, we’ve pierced the treasure vault,” Rick Lagina told the team, underscoring the high stakes.
Shifting to Lot 5, the team’s archaeological dig yielded artifacts that evoke medieval intrigue. Amid pottery shards and pearlware, a small glass bead with red and blue inserts on a white base was identified by expert Laird Niven as Venetian glass from Murano, Italy—trade items from the 12th to 19th centuries. With six similar beads found nearby, speculation runs rampant: Could this link to the Knights of Malta, who established a stronghold just 15 miles south in 1632? Descendants of the Knights Templar, they might have used Oak Island as a secret repository, the beads perhaps from a broken necklace lost in a struggle or left as an offering.
But the episode’s bombshell came from a seemingly mundane stone on Lot 5. 3D modeling revealed it as a deliberate marker, propped and encircled by smaller stones—matching ancient Roman and Viking survey techniques, per surveyor Steve Guptill. Projecting a line southeast from this marker, the team bushwhacked to Lot 27, discovering a massive boulder with a drilled hole, a hallmark of Oak Island’s historic “breadcrumbs.” Extending the line further, it aligns perfectly with the Kingdom Stone, a key element in Peter Amundsen’s “Tree of Life” theory, which posits Nolan’s Cross boulders as a Kabbalistic map.
“This isn’t random rocks—it’s an island-wide map,” Rick Lagina declared. The alignment implies sophisticated geometry and astronomy, transforming the island into a “terrestrial star chart” guiding to the treasure. Guptill’s total station confirmed the precision, tying disparate clues into a cohesive system.
Adding historical depth, a mysterious iron tool from Lot 15—initially mistaken for a compass—was identified by blacksmith Carmen Legge as a 16th-century divider, used for mapping and dated to 1543-1620. Lab analysis by Emma Culligan revealed high chlorine content, typical of saltwater submersion. Found on dry land, the tool may have been scooped from the Money Pit during Robert Dunfield’s 1965 excavation, when flood tunnels unleashed seawater. If so, it could be the very instrument used by the original engineers to design the pit’s booby traps—a direct link to the masterminds behind the mystery.
These finds paint Oak Island not as a one-off pirate stash, but a site of continuous activity: Roman markers, Viking influences, Templar sanctification, and 17th-century sealing. As Marty Lagina reflected, “The data demands we consider men in white robes walking these woods.” The episode teases a upcoming jewel discovery, potentially shifting from artifacts to actual treasure.
Yet, Oak Island’s curse endures—each breakthrough laced with frustration. As drills churn and lines extend, the Laginas edge closer to decoding a 230-year puzzle. Is this the “X” that marks the spot, or another ancient trap? Only deeper digs will tell.
