The Curse of Oak Island Returns: Rick and Marty Lagina Dig Deeper Than Ever in a New Season of Discovery and Danger

The world’s longest-running treasure hunt begins a new chapter on Nova Scotia’s mysterious island

The hunt for the world’s most legendary lost treasure continues as The Curse of Oak Island returns for a brand-new season on the History Channel. Treasure hunters Rick and Marty Lagina, along with longtime partners Craig Tester, Gary Drayton, and their skilled team, are once again racing against time, money, and the island’s unpredictable terrain in pursuit of answers buried for over two centuries.

“Let’s Solve It. Let’s Find the Answers.”

With renewed energy and optimism, the team returns to Oak Island with one clear mission: solve the mystery once and for all.

“We begin a new year with this mission statement,” Rick Lagina declares. “Let’s solve it, let’s find the answers.”
His brother Marty adds, “Our hopes are as high as they’ve ever been. I’m truly excited about it.”

The sense of anticipation is electric as the crew gathers once again at the island’s interpretive center — smiles, cheers, and a shared belief that they may finally be on the brink of uncovering the truth behind Oak Island’s centuries-old legend.

A Mystery That Runs Deep — Literally

This season’s focus turns back to the Money Pit, the infamous site that has fascinated treasure hunters since the late 1700s.

In 1804, diggers discovered a mysterious stone carved with strange symbols 90 feet underground. The moment it was removed, seawater flooded the shaft — a clue to the elaborate booby-trap system believed to protect whatever lies buried below. Over two centuries later, that same mystery continues to challenge modern explorers.

Last year, the Laginas’ team drilled a network of massive seven-foot-wide steel shafts in the Money Pit area. The operation produced multiple artifacts — including digging tools dating before 1795 — and possible evidence of a treasure vault nearly 160 feet deep.

But their efforts came at a price. Two of the deep shafts, TB-1 and TOT-1, suddenly collapsed, suggesting that the treasure may have slipped even deeper — possibly into a natural bedrock formation known as a solution channel, over 200 feet below the surface.

Fresh Discoveries at Smith’s Cove

While drilling continues in the Money Pit, Marty Lagina, Craig Tester, and metal detection expert Gary Drayton head to Smith’s Cove to sift through the vast piles of spoil removed during last year’s excavation.

Within minutes, Drayton’s detector starts beeping. “That’s more like it,” he says, unearthing what appears to be another hand-forged iron tool. The discovery follows last season’s find of a 16th-century pickaxe and an iron chisel — both predating known treasure-hunting activity on the island.

“Whenever there’s a lot of iron, there’s a possibility of iron masking,” Drayton explains. “There could be a gold or silver coin waiting for us.”

The excitement builds as the crew bags another promising artifact. “We’ve picked up right where we left off,” says Drayton. “These finds could go back to the 1600s — or older.”

Science Confirms the Clues

Back in the Oak Island lab, archaeologist Laird Niven and archaeometallurgist Emma Culligan examine the chisel using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology to determine its composition.

Culligan’s results are definitive:

“It lacks any modern alloying elements like manganese, which means it’s definitely not modern. It fits comfortably in the 1700s — and could be older.”

For the Laginas, the finding adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that someone was working deep underground on Oak Island long before recorded treasure hunts began.

“This is the kind of discovery that keeps us going,” says Rick. “It’s not the one thing, but we’re getting there.”

The Hunt Continues

With each season, the Oak Island team edges closer to unlocking one of history’s most enduring mysteries. The combination of science, persistence, and sheer determination continues to fuel their quest.

As Gary Drayton jokes while heading back into the field, “I’m hoping the next one we find is made of gold or silver.”

Rick simply smiles and delivers the line that’s defined their 12-year adventure:

“We’ve got to go find it.”