Four Americans to launch $200,000 treasure hunt in N.S.
Appeared on page C1
HALIFAX - The hunt for buried treasure on Nova Scotia's Oak Island is about to resume for the first time in more than a decade.
Four Americans plan to spend at least $200,000 to drill next month at a spot they believe holds the key to unlocking a mystery that has foiled treasure hunters for more than 200 years.
Local partner Dan Blankenship says he and his four associates will focus their efforts on an underground shaft called Borehole 10X.
"I made some very, very important discoveries that were not followed diligently," Blankenship said of earlier exploration efforts.
For two centuries, treasure hunters have been drawn to the tiny windswept island by stories of pirate treasure buried in a booby-trapped shaft known as the Money Pit.
Theories suggest the pit is home to everything from Captain Kidd's pirate booty and the Holy Grail, to the lost jewels of Marie Antoinette and treasure plundered by Sir Francis Drake from French and Spanish ships.
At least six people have died trying to find treasure there since 1795, when three boys found a concealed shaft beneath a big oak tree.
Blankenship said he's found evidence of wire, chain and low-carbon steel in bedrock 60 metres below the surface.
He wouldn't say if he has a specific schedule of work to be done.
"If I did, I wouldn't tell you," he said with a chuckle.
The company is starting out by spending $200,000 on drilling "and other things." The results of that initial work will determine what happens next.
"We'll play it by ear," Blankenship said.
Oak Island has been the scene of excavations going back to 1795, when a local boy supposedly found an unusual depression in the ground.
Digging in the following decades reportedly turned up a series of platforms going down to at least 18 metres. Strange objects including a gold chain, a human hand and a stone inscribed with runes are said to have appeared in the pit.
But water flooded in and frustrated further excavations.
Source: http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/rss/article/141132
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Digging to resume for long-rumoured Oak Island treasure
Treasure hunters again probe island
Charles Mandel, CanWest News Service
HALIFAX, N.S. - So far the island has refused to yield its secret. But in the next few weeks a team of five men will try once again to uncover the treasure believed to be buried on Nova Scotia's Oak Island.
The 43-hectare island in Mahone Bay is rumoured to hold everything from a wealth of Spanish gold and silver to the lost manuscripts of William Shakespeare, but years of searching has confounded any and all treasure-hunters to date, including Franklin Roosevelt and John Wayne.
The most tenacious of the Oak Island treasure hunters, Dan Blankenship, has teamed up with four Americans and they are prepared to sink $200,000 into drilling and research. Now in his early 80s, Blankenship -- a former Miami construction contractor-- lives on the island which he has explored for more than 30 years.
Craig Tester, a partner in a Michigan-based oil and gas drilling firm and one of the consortium members, said in a phone interview Wednesday he believes the island holds gold and silver that came from the Inca or Mayan empires. Tester figures Spanish or British ships raided the fabled empires and buried it on the island.
Tester compared treasure hunting on Oak Island to prospecting or wildcatting for oil wells.
Tester said he didn't have a clue what the treasure might be worth since he wasn't certain what might be buried on Oak Island. However, when Blankenship tried to sell the island for $7-million in 2004, he said the price tag should really be $50-million to take into account the legendary riches.
The consortium plans to focus some of the work on the so-called Borehole 10-X, a 235-foot-deep hole which Blankenship drilled in the 1970s and which nearly took his life. The hole nearly became the treasure hunter's grave one year when, just as he began climbing out, the shaft collapsed beneath him.
The group hopes to carbon date some of the material excavated. Tester said they'd like to get a good scientific analysis on some of the material, something not done previously. Anywhere from 50 to 100 holes have been drilled to date.
The belief Oak Island harbours treasure began in 1795 when a teenager discovered a man-made underground shaft, since infamously called the Money Pit. It is believed Captain William Kidd or other pirates stashed their treasure there, although new theories hold that undiscovered manuscripts of Shakespeare are in the shaft which regularly floods.
Claire Campbell, a historian at Halifax's Dalhousie University, said she thinks the greatest treasure of Oak Island is the place itself.
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Americans set to drill at Oak Island - Shaft found in 1969 to be targeted
It's official - Blankenship and the Michigan boys will be focusing initial explorations on Borehole 10X. This article was published today in The Chronicle Herald, Nova Scotia.
Americans set to drill at Oak Island - Shaft found in 1969 to be targeted
WESTERN SHORE — Four Americans plan to pour $200,000 into a hole in the ground.
But the Traverse City, Mich., oilmen behind the proposal hope this will be no wildcat well and that the risk will pay off, because this particular hole is on Oak Island.
The drilling they are financing next month will mark the first time in more than a decade that work will be carried out near the infamous "money pit." This time, however, local partner Dan Blankenship says he and his four associates will focus their efforts on an underground shaft called Borehole 10X.
"It’s a long way from the money pit," Mr. Blankenship said, and he believes that’s where they’ll find something. He discovered the shaft in 1969.
"I made some very, very important discoveries that were not followed diligently," he said.
That difference in priorities led in part to the breakdown of his business relationship with his business partner of 39 years, David Tobias.
"I found more physical evidence at 200 feet (60 metres) than ever came out of the money pit area," he said, referring to wire, chain and low carbon steel he says were found in bedrock 72 metres below the Earth’s surface.
Mr. Blankenship won’t say if he has a specific schedule of work to be done.
"If I did, I wouldn’t tell you," he chuckled.
The company is starting out by spending $200,000 on drilling "and other things" that Mr. Blankenship won’t disclose. The results of that initial work will determine what happens next.
"We’ll play it by ear," he said. Rick Ratcliffe, registrar of the Natural Resources Department’s mineral division, confirmed that cabinet approved transferring the treasure trove licence from Mr. Blankenship’s former company with Mr. Tobias to the new company, Oak Island Exploration Acquisition Co., which owns 78 per cent of the island. The licence is good only until July 2, at which time the company must reapply. At that time, it must say what work it has done over the life of the licence and what it intends to do in future. "We look for the kinds of work they plan to carry out, the timing, the expenses," Mr. Ratcliffe said.
That information is kept confidential. The Tourism, Culture and Heritage Department has waived its requirement for a heritage research permit that would have detailed what the treasure hunters are looking for and how they plan to get it.
Mr. Blankenship’s partners could not be reached for comment Tuesday but they include brothers Rick and Marty Lagina, Craig Tester and Alan Kostrzewa. Marty Lagina told the Wall Street Journal recently that no one knows Oak Island better than Mr. Blankenship and they will follow his lead.
Two other people have cabinet approval to search for treasure on Oak Island — local art gallery owner Robert Young and Bedford surveyor Fred Nolan.
But, as is often the case with Oak Island, a cloud is hanging over this latest expedition. The NDP has asked the province to repeal the Treasure Trove Act, which allows treasure hunters to keep 90 per cent of their spoils. Mr. Blankenship fears the move would amount to a money grab by the province.
"If any treasure is found on Oak Island, there’s a potential for 49 per cent in taxes to be paid on it," he said. "If we have to pay a 49 per cent tax on something we find on Oak Island, how much more do they want?" Mr. Blankenship said it seems clear to him that the province would be after a windfall if it approved repealing and overhauling the 50-year-old act.
"This is the obvious conclusion anyone would come to," he said. "Why open it up unless you have a reason for it, and obviously the reason is to tax us poor suckers."
Halifax Chebucto MLA How-ard Epstein introduced the private member’s bill for the NDP last January. He said he did so because a review by Voluntary Planning, a citizens’ policy forum, expressed concern that the Treasure Trove Act does not adequately protect underwater heritage.
Mr. Epstein said in an interview that the act is flawed and should be repealed. He said common law should apply until the province can develop an act that adequately protects the Crown’s interests while addressing divers’ and treasure hunters’ concerns that they deserve to reap the benefits of their costly ventures.
The bill died when the spring session of the legislature ended, but Mr. Epstein said he will reintroduce it in this fall session.
Source - The Chronicle Herald http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/994650.html
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Oak Island Treasure Newsletter - November 2007
Welcome to the November edition of the Oak Island Treasure newsletter!
Please find below your regular update of Oak Island news:
* Available for the first time online, with thanks to shareholders, we have added a range of new documents to the Resources section. This includes the 1969 carbon dating report, drilling overviews, Triton's historical evidence summary and a detailed evaluation report written during the 1960's: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/73/96/
* Oak Island Treasure is delighted to announce confirmed dates for the Oak Island Tourism Society's Explore Oak Island Days 2008:
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/35/47/
* New images featuring the 1931 Chappell team have been added to the past excavations gallery: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/63/84/
* With Christmas fast approaching, after visiting http://www.xmarksthespot.ca, every Oak Island enthusiast is sure to have one of the Bates Maps on their list!
* We endeavour to keep you updated with the progress of the Oak Island Tours Inc exploration on Oak Island and will be notifying you as soon as they release information to Oak Island Treasure. We have assurance that we will receive updates as soon as it is appropriate to do so.
We thank you for your continued support and interest in the Oak Island mystery.
Kind regards,
Jo Atherton
Website Manager
Oak Island Treasure
Oak Island Treasure Newsletter - October 2007
Welcome to October's edition of the Oak Island Treasure newsletter!
This month, we bring you a small piece of exciting Oak Island news.
After a very long wait, Oak Island Treasure is pleased to announce that Oak Island Tours Inc. (Dan Blankenship and the Michigan Group) has received the Treasure Trove License formerly owned by Oak Island Exploration Company.
The team are planning to move forward with exploration in the very near future, so this is a very exciting time for Oak Island fans everywhere. At this time, details of excavation plans remain confidential but as and when information is made available, we will post it on the website.
Read the official press statement from the new Michigan owners released earlier this year - http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/36/49/
Recent news available on the forthcoming dig at Oak Island Treasure includes a newspaper interview with details of the new Michigan owners and the direction their excavations may take - http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/98/2/
Fred Nolan
Oak Island author, D'Arcy O'Connor has been in touch with Fred Nolan, another fascinating Oak Island character who boasts a 42-year involvement in the mystery. He has agreed, via D'Arcy to answer any specific questions about his work, his theories, or his discoveries on the island. We are very grateful to both Fred and D'Arcy for making this possible.
If you have any questions for Fred, either email us with your thoughts, or log on to the forum and view the News & Press thread.
We thank you for your continued support and interest in the Oak Island mystery.
Kind regards,
Joanna Atherton
Website Manager
Oak Island Treasure
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk
Oak Island Treasure Newsletter - August 2007
Welcome to the August edition of the Oak Island Treasure newsletter.
This month we bring you reports of the recent Explore Oak Island Days, fascinating paranormal photography taken on Oak Island and news of some exciting new photos added to Oak Island Treasure.
Explore Oak Island Days 2007
This past month saw much excitement for any Oak Island enthusiast. Were you lucky enough to attend the annual Oak Island Tourism Society's Explore Oak Island Days (EOID)? Catch up on all the latest news and reports of the weekend.
Read newspaper articles: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/category/1/1/2/
Website updates
We are very excited to launch a brand new gallery - Oak Island Ghosts. During the recent EOID weekend, a spate of photos were taken which featured strange orb-like light sources. Many believe this phenomena to be an essence of spiritual energy, adding a fascinating new dimension to the mystery. Take a look at the amazing photos and judge for yourself:
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/94/107/
We can also report the addition of a new gallery showing aerial photos of Oak Island: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/87/106/
And growth to the artifacts gallery showing items recovered on Oak Island - photos of the heart shaped stone, metal pieces and parchment:
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/83/101/
Finally, the winner of last month's t shirt competition was Mr Petter Amundsen from Norway. Thanks to everyone who entered, and in case you are still wondering, the answer to the question, 'in which year was the Money Pit discovered' was 1795, but I'm sure you all knew that!
Still desperate to get your hands on your own t shirt? Why not order one for just $20, including P&P. For more details visit the online shop:
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/61/82/
Oak Island Treasure thanks you for your continued support and endeavors to keep you informed with news of Oak Island in the media and website updates.
Kind regards,
Jo Atherton
Website Manager
Oak Island Treasure
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk
Oak Island Treasure Newsletter - July 2007
Welcome to the July edition of the Oak Island Treasure newsletter!
We thought you would be interested in the following news updates:
Website Relaunch
Oak Island Treasure has grown substantially over he past six years, and today we are pleased to announce the relaunch or our website!
Be one of the first to take a look: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk
You will find news on research, the official excavation statement from the owners of Oak Island, a brand new Resources section plus plenty of exciting content to get stuck into!
Explore Oak Island Days (10 - 12 August)
Interest in this year's Explore Oak Island Days is growing daily and this year's event promises to be huge.
Organised by the Oak Island Tourism Society, this weekend is a must. The OITS bring you the opportunity to tour the island, see actual artefacts, meet a wide range of researchers and most excitingly, the chance dress up as a pirtate on Saturday evening!
For more information, please visit http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/35/47/
Mahone Bay Boat Festival
If you are venturing to Nova Scotia for the Explore Oak Island Days, have you considered arriving a few days early and attending the Mahone Bay Classic Boat Festival?
The event runs from 2nd - 5th August and includes boat displays, races, fireworks and more. See http://www.mahonebayclassicboatfestival.org/ for more information.
Competition
For a chance to win an exclusive Oak Island Treasure t shirt, simply answer the following question:
In what year was the Money Pit discovered?
Email your answer to competition@oakislandtreasure.co.uk
Closing date 31st July 2007. The winner will be selected at random then notified by email. See the new t shirts here: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/61/82/
We thank you for your continued support and interest in the Oak Island mystery.
Kind regards,
Joanna Atherton
Website Manager
Oak Island Treasure
http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk
Explore Oak Island Days 2008
We are excited to announce that the dates for the popular Explore Oak Island Days have been announced by the Oak Island Tourism Society as 20 - 22 June 2008.
Events of the weekend will be held at the Oak Island Resort, Spa and Convention Centre.
In the past, visitors from all over the world have travelled to Western Shore to enjoy tours of Oak Island, displays, lectures, and plenty of pirate themed fun.
Danny Hennigar of the Oak Island Toursim Society had the following words to say:
Many of you who have attended our annual festival know what a great spot the Resort is and they are going to work with us to make EOID 2008 a very special event. The agenda is not ready to release but we have some super ideas that we are cooking up for you. Those of you who need to make travel and or vacation plans, you can do so with confidence. It would be wise to book your room early and make sure you advise the Resort you will be attending EOID 2008.
I join Danny in expressing my excitement for this forthcoming event and will be making the trip myself from the UK. With treasure hunting set to begin on Oak Island again very shortly, 2008 could very well be THE year for you to indulge your treasure hunting passions! I look forward to meeting website visitors and forum members from the Oak Island Treasure online community.
I wish Oak Island Tours Inc (Dan Blankenship and the Michigan Group) embarking on their excavations the very best of luck, and likewise, echo my enthusiasm for 2008's Explore Oak Island Days - it is sure to be a fantastic weekend!
To keep up to date with developments, check this website regularly, or why not sign up to our mailing list?
Jo Atherton
Manager - Oak Island Treasure
Oak Island Excavations About to Begin!
BREAKING NEWS
Oak Island Treasure is pleased to announce that Oak Island Tours Inc. (Dan Blankenship and the Michigan Group) has received the Treasure Trove License formerly owned by Oak Island Exploration Company.
The team are planning to move forward with exploration in the very near future, so this is a very exciting time for Oak Island fans everywhere. At this time, details of excavation plans remain confidential but as and when information is made available, we will post it here.
To keep up to date with Oak Island news, why not join the Mailing List?
Oil men ready to go on a treasure hunt
September 09, 2007
Source - Traverse City Record-Eagle
TRAVERSE CITY -- Three Traverse City oil men are on a treasure hunt that for two centuries seduced men with the promise of untold riches while delivering death, destruction and an enduring mystery.
Marty Lagina, Craig Tester and Alan J. Kostrzewa have done pretty well drilling for oil and gas and hope to combine that experience with modern technology to solve the mystery of Oak Island, Nova Scotia -- or just walk away.
The Traverse City threesome, along with Lagina's brother Rick and longtime Oak Island treasure hunter and resident Dan Blankenship, have joined a list of treasure hunters that include such notables as a young Franklin D. Roosevelt and actor John Wayne.
"At one point, we are really excited; this is one of the great treasure hunts of all time," Lagina said. "Other times you say wait a second, for 200 years this has done nothing but destroy people."
Lagina said his brother first read about Oak Island, located on the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia, in a Reader's Digest story as a boy in the 1960s.
"He was fascinated by it and he's followed it all these years," Lagina said. "He is absolutely convinced there is something there."
Tester said he's more than 50 percent sure there is treasure, while Lagina is the biggest skeptic of the group.
"There's just enough evidence that there is something significant," he said. "But I want to see it for myself."
Early this summer the foursome completed a buyout of Blankenship's previous partner of 39 years for a 50 percent interest in about three-fourths of the island and the famous dig site known as the "Money Pit."
"Nobody knows more about Oak Island than Dan Blankenship," Lagina said. "We are partners in every sense and we're following his lead."
The first excavation began in the summer of 1795 when Daniel McGinnis discovered a depression on Oak Island and evidence of digging at the site. He returned with two friends, and they dug approximately 25 feet in what appeared to be an old shaft in hard-packed clay about 13 feet wide.
It was reported they encountered platforms of oak logs and flagstones at several levels before giving up.
They would return in 1804 as part of a larger group to begin a major excavation of the pit. Newspaper stories written almost 60 years later reported workers hit another platform that sounded like steel at 93 feet, but because the day was late and it was a Saturday they stopped work until Monday.
When they returned, the pit was flooded and their pumps were unable to remove the water.
It would be 44 more years before another major excavation would take place, the third of 15 groups that unsuccessfully have tried to solve the mystery and find the treasure at the bottom of the 200-foot deep Money Pit.
Each attempt brought forth more clues that indicate a complex underground dig that includes a tunnel to the ocean designed to flood the original shaft upon its discovery.
Given the complexity of the dig Lagina said whatever was buried, assuming it is still there, would have to be something of immense value.
"When I was there I met a guy who is convinced it contains the Holy Grail," Lagina said.
There are more than a dozen theories about who constructed the Money Pit, ranging from Knights Templar and Freemasons to pirates who stashed Spanish treasure.
The island is now pockmarked by 22 shafts, excavations, drilled holes and lateral tunnels, many unmarked and partially collapsed.
Though no treasure has ever been found, fortunes have been lost.
"There's something about that island that breeds obsession," Lagina said. "They don't call it the Money Pit for nothing."
Lagina said he compares their investment in Oak Island to a wildcat well in oil and gas exploration, with a lot of risk but a potentially big payoff.
Tester is confident his group won't lose a fortune on an obsession, because in oil and gas drilling failures are common.
"Having failed in the past, you learn to walk away from the failures," Tester said.
Before they can start excavation, however, they must clear up ownership of the Canadian license needed to dig for buried treasure. Tester said they are close and hopes they can drill some exploratory holes before winter.
Lagina said they plan to approach their hunt like an archaeological dig and carefully document everything they find.
"This is a very important site," Lagina said. "I mean people were out there looking for treasure when the United States was being born."
Lagina and Tester hope the borings reveal evidence that will convince them it's worth spending millions of dollars to excavate the site.
Though bits of cement, putty, coconut fibers, parchment, chain and metal have been found in past borings and excavations, Tester and Lagina can offer an explanation for those items.
"We need to see the proof, hold it in our own hands, of ancient works down there," Tester said.
Danny Hennigar, spokesman for the Oak Island Tourism Society, said area residents applaud the Michigan investors plan to treat the site like an archaeological dig and document what's found, but hope they won't be as secretive as past explorers.
"I think the majority of folk here will say they are very excited," Hennigar said. "We're looking forward to seeing what these guys can do."
A fortune may still be buried off Nova Scotia
A fortune may still be buried off Nova Scotia
Newpaper article from the Bradenton Herald 19Aug 2007
With temperatures soaring into the triple digits, it's not surprising that legions of vacationers are making their way north in search of cooler climates. Many head to Canada's eastern province of Nova Scotia, where last week's temperatures were a cool 75 during the day and the high 50s in the evening.
Others also venture to tiny Oak Island just off the Nova Scotia shore, where it is speculated the famous pirate Captain Kidd buried a literal king's ransom treasure. Don't believe in buried pirate treasure? Don't tell that to the hundreds of hopeful treasure seekers - including Franklin Roosevelt, Errol Flynn or even John Wayne - who once owned the search rights.
The mystery began way back in 1795, when a young man found signs of something having been buried: a large hoist even still hung from a tree branch on the deserted island. The young man enlisted the help of some friends and started digging. Just two feet down was a layer of flagstones. Then, every 10 feet, they found a layer of oak logs along with charcoal, putty and coconut fiber.
At 90 feet the excitement truly began when a hand-carved stone was uncovered. It was inscribed with a code that was broken to read: "Forty Feet Below Two Million Pounds Are Buried." But uncovering the treasure wasn't meant to be easy.
After the 90-foot level, water began to enter the pit. Within a day the pit filled with water to the 33-foot level. There was no way to drain or pump the pit dry, so the team gave up their search.
Some 45 years later, another team tried their luck. The new treasure seekers tried drilling to extract core samples from even deeper. Again, every 10 feet, a new wooden platform was encountered, though the drill also brought up chain links and other pieces of metal. It was surmised they had drilled through a chest containing coins. Worse, it was determined that the water entering the pit was actually a booby trap utilizing an underground channel from the sea designed by those who buried whatever was under the island.
The team continued drilling through wood and pieces of soft metal - potentially gold. Drilling over 170 feet a cement vault was encountered. This time, when the drill came back to the surface, a fragment of sheepskin was attached to it with handwritten letters on it.
Throughout the 20th century, hunters with more advanced equipment and pumps continued to excavate the site. The fever grew as speculation was that the riches in the money pit could be large enough to completely alter the finances of all of Canada. But tragedy ensued as numerous searchers died due to the flooding, collapsing shafts and poisonous gas.
In 1976, a 237-foot steel tube was placed into the pit. Through the lens of a camera sent down searchers claim to have seen several chests and even a human hand floating in a cavern below. Divers tried to reach the area but were unable to. Still, hope springs eternal for a new search when the mystery of the money pit may finally be solved.
The site of the pit on Oak Island is privately owned, but, over the centuries, the lore of the treasure has spawned books, stories, a few myths and lots of dreams.
If you have an adventurous spirit, Oak Island is certainly worth consideration. There's even an official Oak Island organization with annual events and updates. Their Web site is www.oakislandsociety.ca. If you venture there, look for me. I'll be the guy with the shovel. I mean, c'mon - how hard can it be?
Peter Rexford can be reached at P.O. Box 50377, St. Louis, MO 63124.
TREASURE HUNT
Peter Rexford x
http://www.bradenton.com/home/story/123112.html
Oak Island Treasure Buzz
Oak Island treasure buzz begins again with new owners
The Chronicle Herald
By RENEE STEVENS | 15 August 2007
OAK ISLAND — Danny Hennigar has been talking about Oak Island for 34 years, but this year as he tells people tales about its mysteries, there is a new sparkle in his eye. He feels answers may be closer than ever.
Hundreds of people followed Mr. Hennigar this weekend on walking tours of the Lunenburg County island as part of Discover Oak Island Days. The three-day event includes displays, lectures and activities that focus around one of the longest-running and most famous treasure hunts in history.
Mr. Hennigar said that as the communications director of the Oak Island Tourism Society, he was not at all surprised that many of the visitors were already aware that the hunt for the island’s elusive treasure is in the process of restarting.
"Everyone loves a good mystery and a whodunit and this certainly has it all and then some. It’s a fascinating story that spans 212 years so people keep up on what’s going on," he said.
"We get a lot of visitors from around the area, but we also get people from all over Canada, the U.S. and Europe too and some people tell me that they even plan their vacations around coming to visit the island."
Dan Blankenship and David Tobias worked together for years trying to solve the mysteries of the island and find the treasure. But then a bitter dispute between the two partners stalled their efforts. Last summer, Mr. Tobias decided to sell off his share of the land. Four Michigan businessmen, three of whom are brothers, bought out his half of the company.
They now own 23 lots, including the site of the infamous money pit. Mr. Blankenship still owns the other half of the company and will be working with the new partners. They have applied for a Nova Scotia treasure licence, but Mr. Hennigar said things won’t actually get moving until next year.
"The province won’t officially issue a new treasure hunting licence until 2008," he said. "So I think you’ll most likely see things start happening next June. That doesn’t mean that these guys are sitting back waiting, though. I understand that they are doing everything they can to start looking for treasure."
The businessmen are represented by Wayne Marryatt of the McInnes Cooper law firm in Halifax. He could not be reached for comment on their progress.
Mr. Hennigar said he is very excited about the prospects and thinks it would be great for Nova Scotia, but his society may have to come up with a new game plan if things are up and running by next summer.
The above article is featured ion the newspaper website here: http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/853078.html
Oak Island mystery still captivates
The following newspaper report is from http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/852988.html
Oak Island mystery still captivates
New partners hope to finally unlock 212-year-old treasure
By RENEE STEVENS | 4:41 AM
OAK ISLAND — Danny Hennigar has been talking about Oak Island for 34 years, but this year as he tells people tales about its mysteries, there is a new sparkle in his eye. He feels answers may be closer than ever.
Hundreds of people followed Mr. Hennigar this weekend on walking tours of the Lunenburg County island as part of Discover Oak Island Days. The three-day event includes displays, lectures and activities that focus around one of the longest-running and most famous treasure hunts in history.
Mr. Hennigar said that as the communications director of the Oak Island Tourism Society, he was not at all surprised that many of the visitors were already aware that the hunt for the island’s elusive treasure is in the process of restarting.
"Everyone loves a good mystery and a whodunit and this certainly has it all and then some. It’s a fascinating story that spans 212 years so people keep up on what’s going on," he said.
"We get a lot of visitors from around the area, but we also get people from all over Canada, the U.S. and Europe too and some people tell me that they even plan their vacations around coming to visit the island."
Dan Blankenship and David Tobias worked together for years trying to solve the mysteries of the island and find the treasure. But then a bitter dispute between the two partners stalled their efforts. Last summer, Mr. Tobias decided to sell off his share of the land. Four Michigan businessmen, three of whom are brothers, bought out his half of the company.
They now own 23 lots, including the site of the infamous money pit. Mr. Blankenship still owns the other half of the company and will be working with the new partners. They have applied for a Nova Scotia treasure licence, but Mr. Hennigar said things won’t actually get moving until next year.
"The province won’t officially issue a new treasure hunting licence until 2008," he said. "So I think you’ll most likely see things start happening next June. That doesn’t mean that these guys are sitting back waiting, though. I understand that they are doing everything they can to start looking for treasure."
The businessmen are represented by Wayne Marryatt of the McInnes Cooper law firm in Halifax. He could not be reached for comment on their progress.
Mr. Hennigar said he is very excited about the prospects and thinks it would be great for Nova Scotia, but his society may have to come up with a new game plan if things are up and running by next summer.
"We are doing very well with this (Explore Oak Island Days) now. Every year it just keeps getting bigger and bigger and everyone especially loves the island tour," he said.
"Since (the island) has been closed to the public since 1995, people just jump at the chance to get out there. I’m actually kind of scared for next year because I think once things start up again, we could be so busy that we may not be able to handle it."
That is the kind of problem he says they look forward to facing, though, and if someone finally does solve the mystery, he’ll cross that bridge too when he comes to it.
"If the mystery is solved, positively it will be great for all those skeptics out there who didn’t believe, but if it’s not, then I am going to have to find a rock to crawl under because of the stories that I have been telling people for all these years."
Digging on Oak Island
Oak Island Treasure has been sent this photograph of new dig evidence on Oak Island. Danny Hennigar, of the Oak Island Tourism Society explained that the workings are located at the site of the old Triton Shaft - probably to protect it from further cave in. Danny also remarks that "curiously, there is also a clearing just up a bit from this shaft where they have removed all the trees."
In the photo, we can see the trees have been felled to secure the Triton site and clear an area of land - this will be exciting news to fans of the Oak Island Money Pit mystery who patiently await digging for the famed treasure to resume. This could be simple maintenance, but this work will surely have imaginations running riot!
Danny and his wife Yvonne were on Oak Island doing essential preparation work for this weekend's Explore Oak Island Days - an annual event which draws hundreds of people to Oak Island.
Are you attending? We'd love to hear your impressions of the weekend and see any photos. Please email us with your thoughts.
The Oak Island Guardian Angel
Dan Blankenship - another side to the Oak Island mystery
Followers of the Oak Island mystery will know a great deal about Dan Blankenship – his passion for finding the Oak Island treasure, his tireless drive and willingness to answer people’s questions.
However, few will have heard about his more spiritual side.
During the 1970’s, Dan saw what appeared to him to be a rainbow which had taken on a three-dimensional appearance over Oak Island. He believes rainbows could be are a sign from a higher power telling him he is on the right track. Very recently, he reported having seen another of these rainbows which appeared to end very near to the Money Pit.
Rainbow over Oak Island, with thanks to Garnette BlankenshipThis is a fascinating side to a man who has long been associated with the practical, excavation side of the mystery. What is more intriguing still is an incident which occurred about four years ago.
Dan has for a long while had trouble sleeping and would often endure restless nights. One night, when fast asleep, he awoke with the words for the following poem clear in his mind which he hurriedly wrote down.
Guardian Angel
by Dan Blankenship
Would you drink away an Angel?
Would you chase away a friend?
You know he’s here to help you
unto the very end.
For many years he saved you
In your lifestyle gone astray
And now you really need him
To help you on your way.
God sent your guardian Angel
To be your constant friend
For many years he saved you
From life’s most dangerous trends
Your Angels loosing patience
You never seem to hear
And in these later years
You have so much to fear
Don’t chase away your Angel
God sent him here to help
He is only here to save you
To help you from yourself
Don’t drink away your Angel
From helping you each day
He’s finally loosing patience
In keeping you from harms way
We all have Guardian Angels
To save us from life’s perils
Don’t chase away your Angel
You need him in this world
Please note that by special request from Dan Blankenship, no reproduction or use of the poem is permitted without prior agreement. Please email for more details.
England's Own Money Pit
Nova Scotia, Canada isn't the only place which claims to have it's own Money Pit which has captivated people in search of wealth.
Dartmoor, England also has a Money Pit situated below Yar Tor. Here, the area is known for many kistvaens, or burial pits, usually about 3 foot x 2 foot. Each side composes of a single slab with a flat covering slab. The dead were either interned or their ashes placed inside the chest They date back to the Bronze Age.
One particular kistvaen is associated with the legend of a farmer from Poundsgate.
The farmer was known as a kind and friendly soul until one night he had a dream in which he saw the kistvaen loaded with money.
He took this dream as an omen and the very next morning rushed to the old site and opened the old tomb.
All he found was a heart shaped piece of flint. So, thinking this find was better than nothing, he slipped it into his pocket and returned to his farm.
From that day, the old farmer became mean and bitter. He quickly lost his friends and it wasn't long before his life became dull and stagnant, with every waking moment he could smell that same fetid stench that had wafted out of the grave.
About a year later his young son found the heart shaped flint and took it outside to play. Before long, the children had lost interest in the stone and it was discarded. That very same day the farmer reverted back to his old jovial and kind self.
It became obvious that it was posession of this strange heart shaped stone which had caused his change in behaviour.
This may simply be a tale to either prevent people fromm looting the ancient graves, or a warning that reed andlust for money will turn you into a nasty and unpopular person. However, what remains interesting are the parallels beween this piece of folklore and the Oak Island Money Pit.
Both tales are concerned with the pursuit of wealth, or treasure. A heart shaped stone was found in the Money Pit as can be seen every year at the Oak Island Tourism Society's Explore Oak Island Days.
Although the English Money Pit legend is concerned with Bronze Age tombs, it could provide an anthropological clue to the creators of the Canadian Money Pit - could it have been dug by peope from Dartmoor who were familiar with this myth? Is that why the heart shaped stone found it's way into the pit, as a historical jibe at anyone who invested time and money in recovering promised wealth?
More information on this and other mysteries can be found at Legendary Dartmoor
Explore Oak Island Days 2007
Crowds descend on Oak Island for the annual Explore Oak Island Days.
Every year, with kind permission of the owners, the Oak Island Tourism Society organise opening up the island to the public.
Were you there?
Was this your first visit to Oak Island? Maybe you are a die hard fan of the mystery. Whatever your situation, we would LOVE to hear from you.
Oak Island Sunday Tour, August 2007
Please email us to share your reflections on the weekend. We would be delighted to hear your Oak Island highlights and the memories you took away with you.
Friday August 10:
- 7:30 PM. Psychic interpretations of Oak Island by well known psychic and clairvoyant Eugenia Macer Story. Meet at the Western Shore/Gold River School highway #3 at 7:30 PM. Bring a flashlight, compass and comfortable walking shoes. $10 admission charge. (Not to be missed)
- Casual gathering at the Black Pearl Bar and Grill in Western Shore afterward.
Saturday August 11:
- 10:00 AM The Western Shore and Area Improvement Association building opens See displays, films, photographs, artifacts and much more. Members free, public $5, children under 6 free.
- Interesting historical displays, sketch artists, loom demonstration, Loyalist Arms (re enactement group and vendor).
1PM Guest speaker Shoshanna Saxe, recent Honour's graduate of McGill University's Civil Engineering Department, will discuss the Freeze Ring Technique. (Included in admission)
- 2:15 PM. Guest speaker Les Macphie will discuss Borehole 10X. (Included in admission)
- 4 PM. Guided walking tour of Oak Island. Admission $5 per person. Call for details 902-275-3718. Children under 6 free.
- Hall closes at 4 PM.
- 7 PM. Pirates Brannigan at the Martin’s River Fire Hall. Costumed dinner, pirates poker and Dance. Members $30 per person, non members $35. Professional transportation to and from hall included from the Oak Island Resort Spa and Convention Centre. Call 902-275-3718 for details. By reservation only.
Sunday August 12:
- 10:00 AM The Western Shore and Area Improvement Association building opens See displays, films, photographs, artifacts and much more. Members free, public $5, children under 6 free.
- Interesting historical displays, sketch artists, loom demonstration Loyalist Arms (re enactement group and vendor).
- 12:00 Guest speaker Graham Harris.(Included in admission)
- 2:15 PM. Guest speaker D’Arcy O’Connor will present "Debunking the Debunkers." (Included in admission)
- 4 PM. Guided walking tour of Oak Island. Admission $5 per person. Call for details 902-275-3718 Children under 6 free.
- Hall closes at 4PM.
Contact information:
Oak Island Tourism Society
P.O. Box 517
Chester, N.S.
B0J - 1J0
Tel: 902-275-3718
Ask for Danny or Yvonne Hennigar
Email: flhs@eastlink.ca
About Oak Island Treasure
Oak Island Treasure is THE place to begin for anyone wanting to discover more about the infamous Oak Island Money Pit. It has long been our mission to supply the public with the latest news and research, plus provide an overview of all history and theories relating to the mystery.
We boast the largest collection of Oak Island photographs on the web, a growing news archive and the internet's largest Oak Island forum. Our community is now in it's seventh year and has provided the opportunity for people from all over the world to share ideas, collaborate and discuss this fascinating mystery. Many members meet regularly at a variety of social events and enjoy discussing their favourite Oak Island theories, history, and indulging in plenty of tales of lost pirate treasure!
Since beginning in 2001, we have been involved in a variety of exciting projects, such as assisting Buena Vista to promote their film, ‘National Treasure’, working with the producers of Canadian MTV, editors of magazines and been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal. We also work closely with the Oak Island Tourism Society and the Francis Bacon Society to promote events and research.
Now, looking forward into 2008, we have forged links with Oak Island Tours Inc, the new owners of the island conducting future exploration, and have been assured we will be informed of the excavation progress made during 2008.
We strive to provide all the latest news, photographs, video and an overview of all the current theories about the Money Pit and it's mysterious creators, always pushing to make as much of the evidence available to the public as possible.
If you have an enquiry relating to Oak Island, please don't hesitate to contact us - we would love to hear from you!
Joanna Atherton
Manager & Founder
Oak Island Treasure
November 2007