Oak Island Treasure Review of 2009

Reflecting on 2009 from Oak Island Treasure HQ in London, I've thoroughly enjoyed keeping you all updated with all the news, updates, videos and photos over the past year. It's been wonderful to receive your emails, chat with you online and of course, hear your theories about what you think is in the Money Pit.

I thought it would be interesting to take a retrospective look on all the excitement of the past twelve months, and give you an insight into some of the projects the website has been involved in, while keeping true to our mission to bring the Oak Island mystery to the world.

I hope the following summary provides you with examples of the growing number of individuals, media channels and essentially international curiosity that exists for the latest news and research about Oak Island.

In the past twelve months we've seen Oak Island feature in computer games, documentaries, travel guides, countless magazines, be battered by the elements and even catch on fire! So without further a do, here follows a month by month overview of the past year...

January
A cold and icy January evening in England provided me with the opportunity to finally meet with Norwegian Oak Island researcher, Petter Amundsen in Hertfordshire, UK. He took time out of his busy filming schedule to meet me for dinner and introduce me to the crew.

Petter has been researching Oak Island for a number of years, with particular focus on a series of codes contained within Shakespeare's manuscripts. As unbelievable as this may seem, Petter has deciphered these hidden messages and applied them to locations on Oak Island with fascinating results. You can read more on Petter's theories and his suggestion that geometry on Oak Island is aligned with the Tree of Life.

February
During February, Oak Island Treasure was approached by a team of British producers to act as a consultant for a documentary proposal.

This was a great opportunity to be involved with a project from the early concept stage, and feed into the creative process, to be sure that justice was done bringing the Oak Island story to the world. This is an ongoing project, so watch this space for more developments in 2010!

Oak Island in the news:

March
With the arrival of March, came a very interesting email from a writer researching for Bradt Travel Guides. Keen to include a feature on Oak Island, I was more than happy to answer his questions and provide some context on the world's greatest treasure hunt. The edition is set to be published later in 2010.

The Oak Island mystery has all the elements of those exciting stories which captured our imagination as children, and in a world where everything is so certain, it’s compelling to ponder one of the very few remaining mysteries. Oak Island remains a tale of fortitude, passion and intrigue and for that reason, I believe it would be a worthy tourist destination.

April
April saw the starts of Oak Island's debut feature in its very first dedicated computer game. The boys at Cerebral Vortex Games were keen for the Money Pit mystery to be portrayed as accurately possible within the game structure, and once again, we were at the end of the phone for some fascinating discussions of how Oak Island could move into the virtual world.

May
In May, a new channel, Oak Island Exclusive appeared on You Tube - featuring videos shot by Oak Island inhabitant Chelsea, whose family owns a holiday home on the island. These videos show Chelsea touring the Oak Island shoreline, offering views of locations previously unseen on Explore Oak Island Day tours. Thanks Chelsea, we look forward to seeing more.



June
The soaring temperatures in June did not come without risk. We heard that the treasure hunting group, Oak Island Tours Inc had been clearing large areas of brush, we can only assume in anticipation of exploratory work. It didn't take much for the dry vegetation to catch light in the heat, and a large section of land went up in flames like a tinderbox.

A local news station was able to capture the moment when a helicopter was deployed to quench the flames on Oak Island.



Later in June, fans of Oak Island from all over the world journeyed to Nova Scotia for the Oak Island Tourism Society's annual event - Explore Oak Island Days. This was a chance to tour Oak Island, view artifacts connected to the excavations which have been taking place over the past two hundred years and meet with a wide range of experts.



Oak Island in the news:
Explore Oak Island Days
Here's how to solve the Oak Island mystery
Province urged to overhaul Treasure Trove Act

July
The article Treasure hunting vacations went to press in July, featured on the Forbes Traveler magazine website homepage.

Later in the month, the Oak Island computer game from Cerebral Vortex Games launched, bringing a new channel for people to interact with the mystery, proving especially popular in Japan.

August
It was in August that the Oak Island Treasure website celebrated eight long years of providing you with news, opinion, theories and research on Oak Island. We had our annual meeting at The Captain Kidd pub on the banks of the River Thames in London with a couple of dedicated supporters.



Hurricane Bill hit the Atlantic Coast of Northern America, and Oak Island was no exception. It's funny to think of the island actually on fire only a few months previously, but this video shows the extent of this freak weather. Treasure enthusiasts were hopeful the elements may have dislodged the odd chest of gold along the shoreline, but they were to be disappointed!

September
Oak Island writer Steve Sora was interviewed for a History Channel documentary, Holy Grail in America which aired on US TV in September. The show featured Steve talking about the Templar connection to the Oak Island mystery stood right in front of our very own Money Pit.

It is probably worth mentioning that after this documentary aired, Oak Island Treasure received a record number of enquiries, emails and saw many more members join our Facebook group.

October
It was in October that I found myself in New England and arranged a social gathering for Oak Island enthusiasts in Portland, Maine, USA. It was wonderful to see some old friends, and meet some great new faces too, showing how far and wide fans of Oak Island are spread.

November
News began to grow that the Oak Island Tourism Society would be voting on the decision whether to close, due to a number of hurdles they had faced in their time of promoting Oak Island as a tourist destination.

Oak island in the news:
Oak Island Tourism Society to dissolve

December
With the arrival of December came the news that the Oak Island Tourism Society would be closing for good. The decision to do so caused much friction within the Oak Island community, so it will be an interesting couple of months to see how Oak Island and tourism may develop in the future.

More significant perhaps, was an illuminating interview with Dan Blankenship that was published in The Chronicle Herald, in which he appears deflated, yet determined.

We leave 2009 pondering what the future may hold for the Oak Island Treasure hunt, where one man's lifelong dream finds itself tethered by red tape, and if he will ever get his final opportunity to recover the Oak Island treasure.

The future

In 2010, we will remain committed to providing the latest Oak Island news, features and opinion not to mention archive material with great thanks to those kind enough to share their personal collections with us. Do check out the growing Archive and see the vast bredth of information available for you to download for free.

Despite the differences of opinion that have become apparent between Oak Island groups this past year, Oak Island Treasure promises to serve all enthusiasts of the mystery, whatever their affiliation. Whether completing a school project, researching a book or story boarding a documentary, we are always happy to help!

I would like to thank everyone who supported the website in 2009. Perhaps you did so my browsing the site, emailing us, joining our growing Facebook group, following the latest news on Twitter, saying hello in person, contributing to discussions online or watching our videos.

We remain a non profit site run solely out of enthusiasm for the Oak Island treasure hunt and will never tire of bringing together Oak Island fans from all over the world, so thank you for your support!

A very Merry Christmas to all Oak Island fans, and here's wishing you a happy and healthy 2010.

Oak Island Treasure & the closure of the Oak Island Tourism Society: some questions

It's been a hot topic in the Oak Island community these past few weeks. Ever since it was announced the Oak Island Tourism Society would be dissolving, many enthusiasts of the mystery are asking questions, such to what will happen to to artifacts and where does this leave public access to the island? 

At Oak Island Treasure HQ, we have not been left out of the fray and have been contacted by local press for our view on the situation.

Here follow some interview questions recently asked by Halifax's paper, The Chronicle Herald which will provide you with our view on this news.

Q 1. Well, first off, do you live on the South Shore? I'm wondering how you got interested in Oak Island and what the allure is for you.

I actually live a little further afield than the South Shore - I'm in London, England. I first read about Oak Island when I was a child and my fascination with the mystery has never left me. For that reason, back in 2001 I set up a website, www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk with the intent of bringing together Oak Island fans from all over the world. Around 500 individuals visit my website every day, keen to find out information on the Oak Island mystery.

I have crossed the Atlantic four times for the annual Explore Oak Island Days event, organised by the OITS and it's been wonderful to meet fans of the mystery from all over on Oak Island.

Believe it or not, there is actually a small UK based contingent of Oak Island fans who get together each summer in London and discuss our favourite theories in the Captain Kidd pub on the River Thames.

Q 2. How long have you been involved with the society?

I recall being a member of the Society, pretty much around the same time as setting up my website back in 2001.

Q 3. What do you think of its closure?

Although it is sad to see the Tourism Society close, I feel that there is enough interest and public spirit to carry the vision forward. Whether this will be a local historical society, or a group of Oak Island enthusiasts, I firmly believe that Oak Island has the potential to attract many visitors to the area.

The Oak Island mystery has all the elements of those exciting stories which captured our imagination as children, and in a world where everything is so certain, it's compelling to ponder one of the very few remaining mysteries. Oak Island remains a tale of fortitude, passion and intrigue. For this reason I believe, treasure or no treasure, it would be a worthy tourist destination for visitors to Nova Scotia.

Q 4. What impact will that have on the search and what will happen with the information and the artefacts that have been recovered?

I don't believe the closure of the OITS will have an impact on the search for treasure on Oak Island - the reason being that the excavation relies on the Province issuing the Treasure Trove Licence. There is currently considerable hold up around processing this document, which has resulted in the search for treasure grinding to a halt. In the past when no excavations have been taking place, international interest has remained, so there is certainly a public appetite for information on the Money Pit mystery, despite little or no activity.

As I understand it, those artefacts which have been recovered over the past two centuries remain in the hands of the groups who funded the excavations, such Dan Blankenship who has an impressive collection of items.

As excavations on Oak Island have been privately funded, those owners of such items are by no means obliged to share their findings, but I hope that any group can look forward to a fruitful relationship with those directly involved in the treasure hunt.

Q 5. Do you think this means interest in the mystery is waning or do you think there's potential for others to pick up the gauntlet?

I don't think that interest in Oak Island is waning at all! Every month I hear from people the world over including journalists, documentary producers, publishers and even school teachers, all eager to learn the latest news on what has become known as the World's greatest treasure hunt.

Closure of the Oak Island Tourism Society

For the past eight years, the Oak Island Tourism Society has been pursuing its mandate of "tours of Oak Island and a world class interpretive center" and "reinvigorating the interest in Oak Island". The most popular element of their work has been working with the Island landowners to provide annual tours of the island during one weekend over the summer which has become known as Explore Oak Island Days.

Last week the Oak Island Tourism Society announced that they had taken the decision to close down. The reasons given for this were as follows:

* Lack of clear direction from majority land owners and treasure hunters Oak Island Tours Inc. on whether or not we stand any reasonable chance at fulfilling our full mandate.
* We are unable to secure a fixed date for Explore Oak Island Days each year at a facility we feel fits the character, progress and development of the event which has grown each year.

This is indeed a shame, as many of the members of this group will have attended the annual event, which has provided a great opportunity for us to learn more about Oak Island, and meet other enthusiasts from all over the world.

Did you attend Explore Oak Island Days? What memories do you have of the event?

At this stage, it's unclear what the future of the Society may be, or if this poses the opportunity for the emergence of a new group. We must remember that the landowners are by no means obliged to grant access to their property for tours, but in terms of Nova Scotian tourism, how important do you feel access to Oak Island is?

New material in the Oak Island treasure hunt comes to light

Here's a message which appeared on the Oak Island Treasure Forum yesterday from Robert Dunfield's son. (For those who don't know, Dunfield took over excavating Oak Island after the Restall Tragedy in the 1960's.)

It's unusual for new Oak Island material to come to light, given the classified nature of excavation attempts in the past, but this is exciting news.

Robert Jr mentions finding some new material of his father's, including film, photographs and hand drawn sketches. He is currently in touch with Oak Island Tours Inc (the current owners of Oak Island) and is sharing his father's wealth of information which I hope will contribute to a successful dig for the new guys.

It's marvellous that this material has been so well looked after, and as Robert suggests, if it helps with just one simple clue to point people in the right direction, then it would be truly great.

Here's his post from the Forum:


Hi folks:

I hope that all is well with everyone. Much has happened in the past 9 months and I have found some new photographs, reel film and sketches made by my dad, as well as whole new box of correspondence, including several from my dad to the ever knowledgeable and keen eyed treasure hunter D'Arcy.

Anyway, I have sent an email with a picture to Jo to share with the group. Some of you may have seen it and many of you may not have. I also will be making still images available from some of the reel film taken in 1965 that would make for some great individual 8x10 stills framed of various parts of the island and our early heroes (and villains).

I have had the great pleasure of having a wonderful long term correspondence with one of the members of the Michigan group and finally one of the pieces of porcelain that was recovered from the 298' level in the money pit by my dad in 1965 was sent to Oxford University for Thermo-Luminescent Glow Curve Testing. Unfortunately though, it does not date prior to 1800, so I am trying to have a different sample tested - this one with some blue glaze that was recovered from a different level, as well as a small sherd that was brought up in a junk basket from one of the test holes at about the same level in a completely different location. I will share the results as I am able.

There is a whole bunch of other things going on and if possible, I will ask Rick Lagina if I might be able to share some of the things that I have been working on to help in the current venture, to the extent that I am able and always with the hope that any information, new or old, artifacts that have been in the family since the 1960's, reel film, and boxes of paperwork and notes, diaries, etc, etc, and other stuff might in some way add just one simple clue to help point in the right direction. Anything and everything helps, I have learned and fortunately I have saved everything that has been held in my family with the exception of a few gifts of coconut fiber that I used to give as gifts and maybe a few small pieces of wood from deep in the MP.

I have waffled back and forth for the last 5+ years about this treasure on Oak Island versus the geological features and anomalies and I would have to say that I have now swung to about the 90% positive side that a treasure exists on this magnificent island and I am pretty sure that it will be recovered reasonably soon (considering the amount of time already spent in this search...) and will make history that will have people talking for centuries to come.

Talk with you again soon,
Best regards, Robert

Oak Island Treasure Trove Licence update

For those who have been asking 'why is nothing happening?' with the Oak Island treasure hunt, it comes down to Oak Island Tours Inc obtaining the correct paperwork to allow them to dig. Yes, despite actually owning the land, the treasure hunters still need permission from the Nova Scotian government to to look for treasure in their own back yard.

D'Arcy O'Connor, author of The Secret Treasure of Oak Island and The Big Dig kindly provided us with this update yesterday:

"As of today (Sept.17, 2009) Oak Island Tours Inc. (comprising the Michigan Group and Dan Blankenship) still have not received a Treasure Trove License to proceed with work on Oak Island. John MacNeill, who replaced Rick Ratcliffe as Nova Scotia's Registrar of of Mineral and Petroleum Titles this past May, says their application is "still in the conduit", and that he is "hoping it will move soon".

"As you know, OIT Inc. passed the first hurdle last April by getting the necessary Heritage Research Permit from the Nova Scotia Museum, and then was cleared by the Registrar for a TTL. But it first had to be approved by the NS Cabinet and then be given "Royal Assent" by the province's Governor General before being blue-skyed for a final go-ahead. But before that happened, came a change in government, with the NDP now in power, and with new department ministers having to re-read and vote on all pending legislation.

"Another thing MacNeill told me is that the TTL, once issued, will be for a two-year period, unlike the five-year licenses that were issued in the past. However, the permission to dig will begin at the time of issuance, and not date back to when OIT Inc.'s last license expired on June 30, 2008. He has no idea when the application will get through these final hoops, since "as with all things political, one can never tell".

"As for Fred Nolan and Robert Young, their Oak Island TTL applications haven't even passed the HRP stage yet.

"So I doubt that we will see any actual drilling or digging happening on the island during the balance of this year. Bummer!"

So this is frustrating news for all of us, desperate to see the treasure hunt begin on Oak Island again.

How do you feel about this news?

Do you think the need for a Heritage Research Permit from the Nova Scotia Museum is a good idea?

Or do you feel additional government involvement is getting in the way of recovering the treasure?

Oak Island Treasure UK meeting - exclusive video

At the weekend, my website, Oak Island Treasure, was eight years old!

To celebrate this anniversary, I arranged to meet with friends and members of our online community in London, UK.

What better place to meet than the Captain Kidd pub - a wonderful spot on the River Thames built on the site where Kidd was hanged for piracy.

Despite being thousands of miles from Oak Island, we were able to rouse a loose connection to our favourite little island.

I had received requests from quite a few people who expressed sadness that they would miss out on this get together. Some asked if a podcast or video could be made available so you could at least have a flavour of the afternoon.

I managed to make this very short film showing London and the district of Wapping where we met. You'll see from the video that it's an area still dominated by old wharves and docks with many nautical connections still evident in the buildings and place names.

I was unable to capture our actual discussions on film but I hope this will give you an opportunity to see an interesting area of London, some of the UK Oak Island contingent and the chance to giggle at my British accent.

Today's the day for skullduggery, swashbuckling and Oak Island!

It's a beautiful, sunny day in London and I'm getting ready to head out to The Captain Kidd pub in Wapping for the UK Oak Island meeting. I'm hoping other fans of the world's greatest treasure hunt will be joining me for a spot of lunch and plenty of discussion over our favourite hole in the ground!

For those who don't know, Captain Kidd was a privateer during the late 1600's who was famously hanged for piracy at the site where the pub stands today. For many fans of the Oak Island mystery, he's the favourite originator of the Money Pit.

I'll be keeping you up to date on Twitter with how the day progresses, so if you're interested, no matter how far away from London you may be, you can stay tuned: http://www.twitter.com/OakIsland

Oak Island fans unite in New England!

Do you live in New England, USA?

Are you a self confessed Oak Island fan?

Then get Monday October 5th in your diary!

I'll be visiting the area on vacation and a few Oak Island friends have suggested getting together for something to eat and a couple of beers. If we concentrate, there's no reason why we can't have the Money Pit mystery solved by 8pm!

We hope to be there from 5pm, so if you fancy joining us for what I'm assured will be tasty pub grub in Maine's first brew pub, it would be wonderful to meet you.

I've been assured Gritty McDuff's in Portland is the perfect place for us to solve the Oak Island mystery, on a full stomach, of course - http://www.grittys.com/portland.php

Any questions, please drop me an email (oakislandtreasure@gmail.com).

Looking forward to meeting some of you soon!

Jo - http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk

Oak Island Treasure UK meeting

It's getting to that time of year again - the annual meeting of UK Oak Island fans!

The event will be taking place on Saturday 22nd August, the date closest to Oak Island Treasure's eighth birthday. Do come and celebrate with us if you can.

This will be our fourth meeting at The Captain Kidd - a pub built on the site of the pirate's final moments before he was hanged.

Last year, we made good progress and felt we were close to solving something - what it was, I'm not sure, but the clues were coming thick and fast.

We'll be talking treasure and piracy over a cheeky pint or two, and aim to have the mystery solved by 4pm.

Here are the details:

When: Saturday 22nd August 2009 from midday

Where: The Captain Kidd Pub, Wapping, London, E1W 2NE

Map: view here

Explore Oak Island Days video

A short video taken during Explore Oak Island Days 2009, including shots of Smith's Cove, Borehole 10x and the Money Pit.

Explore Oak Island Days 2009 draws near

Things are busy today at Oak Island Treasure HQ. My backpack waits expectantly in the corner, ready to contain goodies for my vacation to Oak Island next week. My pirate costume is pressed, sword sharpened and parrot verbose as ever. Time cannot pass quickly enough until my plane leaves British tarmac on Tuesday morning.

I've been developing a special section of Oak Island Treasure for this years' event, which is where I'll be reporting directly from the front line. Those of you who can't make it this year, do not despair - I hope to share photos, video and reports with all of you.

Be sure to check http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/explore-oak-island regularly next week to keep updated on the latest photos of Oak Island, video of the event, and of course gossip from The Rum Room!

Oak Island on fire!

Drama on Oak Island - News that fire broke out yesterday with three fire departments and a helicopter being deployed.

Those who were at Explore Oak Island Days last year and saw the new drill holes will know the area which caught alight.

Oak Island resident Garnette Blankenship explains

'They had not been burning since last Sat. and they burnt in the rain,.so we are not sure what happened yet. They always had a genorator out back with a pump to soak the fire at the end of the night. They are still investigating.We were so lucky Dan and Rick had been out there and came in around 1:30 and no smoke ,thank god Rick had people coming and they went back out with in the hour and it was burning bad'.

Watch a video of the fire crew on Oak Island - http://southshorenow.ca/newsnowclips/play.php?vid=587

The great myths of the Oak Island mystery - part 2

Myth 2 - There's a video of a severed hand down Borehole 10X

Here at Oak Island Treasure HQ we receive many emails from people asking questions about the Money Pit mystery. One of the most popular things we're asked concerns a video shot down Borehole 10X in which a severed hand was rumoured to float past the camera lens.



Yes, it is true a camera was lowered down into Borehole 10X, and at the time those watching the monitor did see what they thought to be a hand, but this was never recorded.

The images on the monitor were being relayed in real time and not recorded. Although this would be very simple to do nowadays, back in the 1970s, video recorders were not commonplace, and to rig up such a network of technology would have been expensive and specialised.

Whether or not there really are body parts under Oak Island (if indeed they would still be preserved) remains an issue up for debate. However, there does exist a video which is available to see at the Oak Island Tourism Society's Explore Oak Island Days.

In this film, narrated treasure hunter Dan Blankenship, the camera is lowered down into Borehole 10X and Dan describes what he believes to be man made structures, and at one point, even treasure chests.

The quality is poor namely because of the amount of silt in the water but you are able to see a number of things. We have some stills of this video available for you to see on the website, so you can decide for yourself.

This is not the only instance which mentioned bodies being discovered on Oak Island. The excavator M.R.Chappell mentions burned bone ash being discovered beneath a boulder on Oak Island in a letter dated May, 1974.

As a closing anecdote, I have spoken with a one time Oak Island resident stating that a body was removed from one of the excavation sites. He claims this was never made public knowledge as the police would have to have been notified which would have delayed the dig. Facts on this matter are sketchy to say the least, but it is something I intend to investigate further in June.

So, in conclusion, there certainly is no video of the severed hand. Whether or not there is indeed a hand, (or any other body part it may have once been attached to) beneath Oak Island, remains to be seen.

The great myths of the Oak Island mystery - part 1

The first in a series of posts where we will be considering the biggest myths of the Oak Island Money Pit mystery.

Myth 1 - Oak Island is open to the public

Oak Island in privately owned and has not been open to the public since it was a tourist attraction a few decades ago.

Here at Oak Island Treasure HQ, we've heard from some adventurous characters who have chanced their luck and sneaked on to the Island. Some have done this by cover of darkness, others by boat and lets not forget the confident few, bold enough to drive straight across the causeway in defiance of the 'no trespassing' signs. 

Needless to say, those who actually set foot on the Island were soon greeted by owner Dan Blankenship and asked to leave. 

The Island is home to two generations of Blankenships, lucky enough to call the site of the world's greatest treasure hunt their home. 

However. Don't despair if you've been captivated by the Money Pit mystery and think you will never see it. The Oak Island Tourism Society organise the annual Explore Oak Island Days event. For one weekend, with kind permission of the Island's inhabitants, Oak Island is opened up to the general public for escorted tours amongst a variety of other events. 

This year the event will be taking place 19 - 21 June 2009. You can find out more about this popular event, a must for any Oak Island enthusiast. 

In the next post, I'll be considering the popular myth that there is a video of a severed hand waving at the camera from an underground cavern, deep beneath Oak Island. It may sound unbelievable, but this is often the most asked question by visitors to Oak Island Treasure.

Oak Island Tours Inc - 2009 dig update

The following update was posted by D'Arcy O'Connor on the Oak Island Treasure forum (http://forum.oakislandtreasure.co.uk):

UPDATE:

Oak Island Tours Inc. (Dan and the Michigan Mob) have been given a go-ahead by the NS Department of Natural Resources to dig on Oak Island from now until June 30, 2013. The only steps left now are for the TTL application to be cleared by the NS Justice Department (which is pretty well automatic) for approval by Cabinet, and then have it rubber-stamped by the NS Governor General for her approval. I'm told that this should all be acomplished within the next three weeks. So it seems that the OIT syndicate can legally begin drilling and digging as early as this May. 

After unsuccessfully fighting the need for a Heritage Research Permit and an archeological reconnaisance of their lots, Fred Nolan and Robert Young recently acquised to this stipulation, and have now applied for the NS Museum permit. But they still have a lot of bureaucratic hurdles to overcome before being able to conduct any major work on their lots this summer.

If you are at EOID'09 in June, you'll hear first-hand on Sunday afternoon how Rick Ratcliffe (who this month is retiring as Registrar of Minerals and Petroleum Titles - which covers TTLs) has had to deal with all of this pencil-pushing work concerning Oak Island exploration during the past 30 years.

Oak Island treasure found on eBay

John Borkowski became interested in the Oak Island mystery about two years ago and decided to look on eBay for a copy of R.V.Harris' book, The Oak Island Mystery.

You can imagine his surprise when the book arrived complete with original newspaper articles form the 1960s, photographs and correspondence from the Restalls who were excavating on the island at this time.

"I feel like I own a little piece of the story", says John from New York. "The letter is from Mildred Restall to a Mrs Geiser. It talks about the trouble the "boys" were having on the shore, and the terrible storm that came up and wiped out their work. It's really a little piece of what she was thinking at the time."

The collection of documents includes a letter from Mildred Restall, whose husband and son later died in a tragic accident on Oak Island.

Her letter paints a picture of how hard it must have been living on the island away from the mainland and open to the elements in the quest for treasure. It is also tinged with tragedy as she writes with such confidence in her husband's desire to solve the Oak Island mystery.

John contacted Oak Island Treasure via our facebook group to inform us his discovery, and with his kind permission, we've been able to share the material online for the very first time.

John has also contacted Lee Restall Lamb, daughter of Mildred Restall, and author of Oak Island Obsession, in which she shares anecdotes of her family's time on the island, photographs and a collection of amazing sketches drawn by Robert and son Bobby.

To view these documents, please view the links below:

• 1965 newspaper articles relating to the Restall tragedy on Oak Island.



• Photographs taken in July 1960 showing life on Oak Island.



• Letter from Mildred Restall to Mr & Mrs Geiser dated November 16th 1960.



• Letter in reply to Mildred Restall from Mrs Geiser - part I.



• Letter in reply to Mildred Restall from Mrs Geiser - part II.



• Newspaper article: Look for Pirates' Treasures Left on Isle 200 Years Ago - The Times Record, Troy, New York from December (exact date is obscured).



• Newspaper article: Privateer Hoard Eludes Seekers, December 1st, 1961.
  

You are invited to the Oak Island Treasure Party!

Come and join the Oak Island glitterati to discuss your favourite mystery over a beer or three!

When: Wednesday 17th June 2009

Where: The Henry House, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Who: Anyone interested in the Oak Island mystery who wants to meet with other members of the Oak Island Treasure Forum and our Facebook group. 

Despite this year being my forth visit to Oak Island, I have never actually ventured into Halifax so it seems long overdue that I see what your city has to offer!

So, on the evening of Wednesday 17th June I'd like to invite you all to come along to theorise our favourite mystery. 

For those ho haven't met me, I'll be the jet-lagged one with an amusing British accent. 

For more information, check out The Henry House website, or email me with your questions.

Hopefully see you there, swine flu notwithstanding!

Oak Island Treasure in print!

Thanks to Scott Clarke, Oak Island Treasure Forum member, we have been made aware that Oak Island Treasure has been referenced in the book, Lost Histories: Exploring the World's Most Famous Mysteries by Joel Levy.

This is an exciting achievement for this website, run out of a dark underground bunker in London, England since August 2001. The site started out as a hobby and is run voluntarily by Jo Atherton in her free time, so for Oak Island Treasure to receive recognition in print as a reputable source is praise indeed.

We're always keen to hear how you found Oak Island Treasure, whether it be via search engine, newspaper article, facebook, computer game - it's a good measure for us to understand what's working, so why not send us an email?

We'd love to hear from you.

Oak Island Archive Updates

The Oak Island Archive continues to grow with thanks to your contributions, and author D'Arcy O'Connor for opening up his own personal research files.

The most recent updates include the following:

Documents from the Chappell excavations: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/184/159/

More material on the Blankenship excavations: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/188/161/

Oak Island tourism of yesteryear: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/192/163/

1965 Reader's Digest article that inspired Dan Blankenship to begin his treasure hunt: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/193/164/

Article from a National Geographic book: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/197/168/

Samuel Goodman's theories: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/194/165/

Was Oak Island a hoax? A collection of articles evaluating evidence: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/199/170/

It is with thanks to all those people who have scanned old articles, magazines and photographs to contribute to building a rich resource of Oak Island related material. By bringing all of this information together in one place, we can build a picture not just to document the excavations on Oak Island, but also explore how the mystery has been presented in the media over the years.

If you have information you wish to share, please email Jo Atherton in the first instance.

Explore Oak Island Days 2009 - agenda announced

The agenda for the annual Explore Oak Island Days has just been announced by the Oak Island Tourism Society, taking place on 18 - 21 June 2009.

With the worst of winter behind us, our minds are turning to sunny afternoons, long summer evenings, late nights around the camp fire and of course - treasure hunting!

This summer, why not do something totally different and come along to the Explore Oak Island Days?

Agenda

Thursday

June 18 Thursday at 6 PM. Special "members only" tour of Oak Island.

Friday

- June 19 Friday. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Oak Island and learn about it’s 214 year old history. The tour starts at 6PM and lasts about 2 hours, be sure to register in advance by calling 902-275-3718 or e-mail the Society at flhs@eastlink.ca Cost is $5, children 6 and under free.

Saturday

- June 20 Saturday. The doors to Oak Island display, artifacts, movies, souvenirs and more open up at 10AM. Come and learn about the mystery at the Oak Island Resort in Western Shore. Oak Island art exhibit and sale all day.

- All day long, the Kids Zone.

- First walking tour of the day is at 10 AM. Details same as above.

- 12:30 Our first guest speaker of the day is Mr. Graham Harris.

- 2:30 Our second guest speakers of the day are three Students from McGill University’s engineering department.

- Second walking tour starts at 4PM. Details same as above.

- 7:30 Commotion by the Ocean a debate, buffet style dinner, art show.

Sunday

- June 21 Sunday. The doors to Oak Island display, artifacts, movies and more open up at 10AM. Come and learn about the mystery at the Oak Island Resort in Western Shore. Art exhibit and sale all day.

- All day long, the Kids Zone.

- First walking tour of the day starts at 10AM. and lasts about 2 hours, be sure to register in advance by calling 902-275-3718 or e-mail the Society at flhs@eastlink.ca Cost is $5, children 6 and under free.

- 12:30 Our first guest speaker of the day is Mr. Steven Sora.

- 2:30 Our second guest speaker of the day is....... TBA

- Second walking tour starts at 4PM. Details same as above.

To book your place on a tour, join the Society and find out more, visit Agenda has just been announced - to find out more, visit the Society's website: http://oakislandsociety.ca/explore%20oak.htm

If you are based in the UK and Nova Scotia is too far for you, would you be interested in attending a social gathering to get together with other Oak Island fans?

If so, send a message to Jo Atherton or email oakislandtreasure@gmail.com to register your interest.

Oak Island treasure hunt update - January 2009

One of the most common questions asked about the Oak Island treasure hunt today is 'why isn't anything happening?!'

To hunt for treasure in Nova Scotia, one must hold a valid Treasure Trove License (TTL) issued by the Nova Scotian government. Oak Island Tours Inc (comprising Dan Blankenship and the Michigan investors) held a TTL for the initial year of their explorations but this is pending renewal after it expired in June 2008.

The following update is offered with thanks to D'Arcy O'Connor who has doggedly kept us up to date with the bureaucracy surrounding the TTL renewal.

In 2008, the Department of Natural Resources had received renewal applications for Lot 5 and Plum Island for Robert Young; Lots 9 through 14 for Fred Nolan; and Lots 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 15 to 22, 24, and 26 to 32, plus "surrounding waters" for Oak Island Tours (Dan and the Michigan group). These applications are to replace the five-year TTLs that expired June 30th 2008.

A change in the regulations now means that before the TTL applications can be processed, they must first have in hand a letter from the NS Museum (of Natural History) either waiving the need for a Heritage Research Permit (which was the norm over the past 25 or 30 years), or else the applicants must first have "an archaeological reconnaissance done on their property" and submit the results with their application.

Until this is approved, the applicants can conduct top line explorations including historical research, surface surveys and mapping, feasibility studies, and lining up prospective drilling and excavation contractors. But technically they cannot drill down an inch or scoop a shovelful of earth on the lots in question without the requisite TTL's in hand.

The TTL's will be issued for a period of 5 years, although they will be back-dated to July 1st 2008. So in reality, once the entire process is completed, the applicants will have lost three or four months of their licensed time.

D'Arcy explains,

"In the future (i.e. after July 1, 2013) the Oak Island TTLs will most likely be limited to a two-year term (as they currently are for searching for and diving on NS offshore wrecks). Another problem I'm told of is that right now it is rather hard to find qualified archaeologists that are approved by the NS Museum for the preliminary "archaeological reconnaissance", since most such archaeologists are back to teaching at their respective universities.

"My guess is that we won't be seeing any major excavation work on any of the three applicants' properties until late this year, if even by then. All of this is obviously most frustrating for OI Tours, Fred Nolan, and Robert Young. But, as has been pointed out, we won't ever again be seeing some of the horrific helter-skelter amateur work that has ravaged the island in the past. As one Nova Scotia archaeologist said to me today, "Had such restrictions existed 200 years ago, Oak Island's mystery would have long ago been solved, either with or without a recovered treasure."

The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Petroleum Titles (which vets TTL applications) has received the official letter (dated January 6th) from Robert Ogilvy of the Nova Scotia Museum, saying they are satisfied with the archeologist's report regarding the Oak Island Tours Inc. application for a Heritage Research Permit, and that such permit has thus been granted.

All that remains is for the Natural Resources department to submit the TTL application to the NS Cabinet for their consideration, a process which, D'Arcy tells us, normally takes about six weeks.

It looks hopeful that Oak Island Tours Inc will be able to start drilling and/or digging as early as this March or April 2009.

So, I hope that adds some context for all those people so keen to know exactly what is happening with the dig on Oak Island. Looking ahead to the spring of 2009, we can hope that Oak Island Tours Inc have their shovels ready!