Will Season 8 of “Curse of Oak Island”, appearing on History Channel, be the season of finally finding the treasure that has evaded many for 223 years?
Brothers Rick and Marty Lagina of Michigan, USA, host the Curse of Oak Island as they follow their lifelong dream of solving the 223-year-old mystery of Oak Island. Teams of searchers, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and John Wayne, have been trying to crack the code that will reveal the treasure believed to be hidden on the tiny island off the coast of Nova Scotia for over two centuries. Over the years on the island, numerous objects have surfaced, some of which have since been carbon-dated and found to be hundreds of years old. Although these items can be called a treasure in their own right, no large treasure site has ever been discovered.
On the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada, Oak Island is a 140-acre privately owned island in Lunenburg County. One of approximately 360 small islands in Mahone Bay, the tree-covered island sits about metres (36 feet) above sea level and is situated 200 metres (660 feet) from the shore linked by a causeway and a gate to the mainland. The Western Shore rural community facing the island is the nearest community, while Chester is the nearest village. Oak Island is owned privately, and tourism is only by pre-booked guided tours.
Until 1795, when a teenage boy found a circular depression in the ground and began digging, Oak Island was given little attention. Layers of logs and what were known to be pick scrapings along the walls of a pit were found as he and his friends dug. Soon after, another party of treasure hunters took over, persuaded that the so-called “Money Trap'” was the location of the buried treasure that had long been lost, probably belonging to Captain Kidd or Blackbeard. There are abundant hypotheses of what lies underneath, ranging from pirate gold, the Holy Grail, or even folios of William Shakespeare. These treasure hunters claimed to have found a flagstone engraved with symbols that translated into “forty feet below, two million pounds lying buried,” according to an amateur cryptologist. Over the years, there have been countless books written about the subject.
Is Oak Island Cursed?
The chance of great treasure is definitely intriguing, but what keeps audiences tuning in to The Curse of Oak Island season after season is the premise of the alleged curse. The curse itself states that before the legendary treasure of Oak Island can be found, seven individuals must die. In fact, a recent investigation concluded that since 1795, fourteen individuals have been known to have died on the island. Seven of the fourteen individuals identified can be recognized as having engaged in treasure hunting on the island. Does this suggest the fulfilment of the “Curse of Oak Island”?
The Curse of Oak Island has been a monster television hit for the History Channel due to the show’s mix of historical intrigue, potential treasure, and constant conspiracy theories. averaging more than 3.2 million viewers per episode in January 2020.
Brothers Rick and Marty Lagina have invested a lot of their own money in this project and are determined to find the “buried treasure”. Maybe this year will be the year!
The television series eighth season debuted on November 15, 2020 and can be seen on the History Network.
