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!

UFO over Oak Island, Nova Scotia

Check out these photos taken by Jen MacNeil from the Oak Island Resort this summer.

She noticed nothing strange at the time, but when viewing her photos an unidentified flying object became apparent, zooming over Frog Island!

So what do we see? A helicopter? A seagull? Or the mothership returning to the Money Pit docking station?

Have a look for yourselves and see what you think:

Those who enjoy conspiracy theories have surmised that the Oak Island Money Pit was created by visitors from another planet. This is yet another far reaching theory connected to what has become the world's greatest treasure hunt.

The 1967 Shag Harbour incident is Nova Scotia's most famous UFO sighting.

Image source: http://www.dermott.ca/nstour/sshore.html

Oak Island news: Dan Blankenship speaks

For the first time in many years, Dan Blankenship, long time treasure hunter on Oak Island has today given an interview.

A New York based Italian movie company sent Gianni Gallo and Luis Goncalves to produce the piece for Italian television station RAI for a show called Voyager.

Oak Island resident and daughter in law of Dan Blankenship, Garnette stated that to her knowledge this is the first time since the 1960’s that a documentary has been made completely on Oak Island.

Film makers Gianni Gallo and Luis Goncalves on Oak Island this weekend
Image courtesy of Garnette Blankenship

This news causes fans of Oak Island to question why, at this stage in his treasure hunting career is Dan willing to discuss his life's work?

EXCLUSIVE - Oak Island underwater imagery

Underwater images reveal man made objects on the sea bed off the coast of Oak Island, Nova Scotia.


The new investors currently undertaking excavations on Oak Island hired specialists earlier this year to investigate waters surrounding Oak Island. Oak Island Treasure reveals images taken during these investigations which expose what appear to be man made objects on the sea bed.



Could this be a treasure chest?




More information, discussion and links: http://www.oakislandtreasure.co.uk/content/view/186/2/

New documentary on the Knights Templar & Oak Island

Has the treasure of Oak Island been found?

Has the treasure of Oak Island been found?

This photo of peculiar looking idols was discovered by Oak Island Treasure Forum member Joy Steele after a meeting with Kay Chappell, relative of the Chappells who famously conducted excavations on Oak Island during the late 1800's.



Discovery of this photo alongside other unseen Oak Island material has prompted discussion as to whether these strange figures were actually found on the island, given the composition of the photographs, seemingly displaying them with a sense of pride. Amongst other documents, were a collection of previously unseen photos of Smith's Cove and the famous oak trees which once lined the shore and gave the island it's name.



Whether they are connected to the mystery remains unknown, but the discovery of new material after all this time there is still new material coming to light on the Oak Island mystery. Many thanks to Joy for sharing this information with the Oak Island online community.

For more historical documents and photos connected to the excavations on Oak Island, check out the Oak Island Treasure online archive.