The Curse of Oak Island: ANCIENT CHINESE COIN Discovered in Canadian Waters

[Alex] “Okay, guys, so here we are. I’m quite excited to get down there.”

[narrator] In the waters just north of Oak Island, Alex Lagina and Jack Begley team up with diver Tony Sampson and underwater imaging expert Ken Deboer. Their mission: to search for clues related to a possible buried dam in the northern region of the swamp.

[Tony] “We’re in seven to eight feet of water here. It drops down to about 25 feet further out. If we’re looking well in the past, the water level would have been lower. So it’s plausible that something here may have been on dry land at one point.”

[Alex] “Exactly. Fred Nolan thought he saw evidence of a structure on his beach, which correlates with Zena Halpern’s map.”

[Tony] “This is awesome. I can’t wait to get on the bottom and see what’s there.”

[Ken] “We’ll use the ROV to help direct Tony and find any additional targets of interest.”

Diving and Exploration:

[Alex] “Ken, we’re going to run a grid?”

[Ken] “Yes, we’ll run a grid and be in communication with Tony the entire time.”

[Jack] “Alright, let’s get started.”

[narrator] As Tony prepares for his dive, Ken deploys the ROV, equipped with thrusters and a high-definition camera, to provide a second set of eyes for the team.

[Tony speaking over radio] “Surface to diver, let us know if you see any signs of a structure or anything else. Over.”

[Tony speaking over radio] “I’m fanning the seafloor now. There seems to be something here.”

[Ken] “Fanning is what we can do; digging is what we cannot do.”

[narrator] Tony is permitted to scan the seafloor with a handheld metal detector, but provincial regulations prohibit him from removing or disturbing artifacts. If potential clues are identified, the team can apply for a special permit for further investigation.

[Jack] “Tony’s getting a visual on possibly hand-carved wood, which is exciting because it correlates with evidence from Zena’s map about a dam along the water’s edge.”

[Tony speaking over radio] “I see a piece of plank. I’m not sure what to make of it.”

[Ken] “Copy that. Keep us posted.”

Findings and Analysis:

[Alex] “We’ve found pottery recently from Lot 5. Maybe this is comparable.”

[narrator] Could the artifacts Tony found be related to previous discoveries on Lot 5, which date back to the 17th century?

[Jack] “Tony’s heading towards a boulder. Let’s see what’s around it.”

[Tony speaking over radio] “I see a concentration of artifacts. There’s a lot of pottery and possibly other items.”

[Alex] “We need to find out if there are more artifacts surrounding this boulder.”

[narrator] The possibility of finding artifacts in the water, such as pottery or even coins, raises intriguing questions about their origin and significance.

[Tony] “The artifacts are similar to those found on land. They might have come from a shipwreck or were used by people on the island.”

[Jack] “What was that metal detector head?”

[Tony] “It was a disc with a hole in it, possibly a coin. I initially thought it might be Chinese-style.”

[Gary] “That sounds similar to the Chinese coin we found earlier, which dates back to possibly BC.”

[narrator] In 2020, Jack and Gary discovered a coin of Chinese origin, dating back over 1,000 years. Could Tony have found the same type of coin in the waters north of the swamp?

Conclusion:

[Alex] “The pottery, pipe stems, and possible coin make this dive very exciting. It’s a concentration of artifacts underwater that might be worth getting a permit for further investigation.”

[Marty] “These are great finds. The next step is to apply for a permit to retrieve and examine these items. We need to understand why they’re here and if they connect to Fred’s wall in the north end of the bog.”

[Jack] “Great job today, Tony. Well done.”

[Tony] “Thanks, mate. That was a fantastic dive.”

[narrator] As the team reflects on their underwater discoveries, the potential connections to historical artifacts and structures on Oak Island deepen the mystery. Further investigation and analysis may reveal more about the island’s enigmatic past.