The Curse of Oak Island Season 12 Episode 20: Swamp Wall, Secret Maps & Sacred Orders

 

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 RP3: The New Hope in the Money Pit

The episode begins with the team excavating a brand-new shaft—RP3—in the legendary Money Pit area. Positioned just north of RP1 and RP2, this dig site aims to reach the same depth—around 118 feet—as the collapsed Shaft 6 from 1861.

Historical records claim treasure hunters that year pierced through two wooden chests at 110 feet, triggering a catastrophic flood. RP3 could intersect the debris from that collapse—and possibly the treasure that was swept away.

As they dig, the crew retrieves massive wooden beams, possibly remnants of original tunnel structures. While no treasure is found just yet, Marty Lagina suggests that any valuables may have dropped deeper into a natural underground void known as the solution channel.

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 The Swamp Mystery: Fred Nolan’s Wall

Meanwhile, in the northern swamp, Rick Lagina, Jack Begley, and Gary Drayton chase a decades-old theory—Fred Nolan’s “man-made wall.” Nolan, a former landowner, believed a seawall or dam was built to intentionally flood the area and hide something beneath.

What they find is stunning:

• Large, aligned boulders
• Iron pins
• Cut timbers
• And possibly even a wooden structure—matching Nolan’s original sketches.

Surveyor Steve Guptill believes these features may align with Zena Halpern’s 14th-century Templar map, pointing to a structure marked La Bar—possibly linked to the Knights Templar or their successors.

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 Lot 5: Venetian Beads & Knights of Malta?

Back on Lot 5, archaeologist Moya MacDonald discovers another Venetian trade bead, just like ones found earlier in the season. These glass beads—dating back to the 17th century or earlier—suggest a European presence on Oak Island before the 1700s.

But it gets even more fascinating…

Researcher Judy Rudabush delivers a bombshell:

• A uniform button found on Lot 5 closely resembles those worn by the Knights of Malta.
• And get this—a man named Isaac Dazzley, believed to be a descendant of the Knights of Malta, settled near Oak Island in the 1630s.

Could the Knights of Malta have inherited Templar secrets, and brought them to Nova Scotia?

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Connecting the Dots: Templars, Knights, and Hidden Legacies

For years, Oak Island theories have revolved around the Knights Templar. But now, the Knights of Malta are stepping into the spotlight.

The Knights of Malta—once known as the Knights Hospitaller—were believed to have inherited Templar assets after their downfall in 1307. If they crossed the Atlantic carrying treasure or relics, Oak Island may have been their hiding place.

The button from Lot 5 might seem small, but in historical treasure hunting? It’s massive. Uniform buttons are personal, deliberate, and symbolic of presence and purpose. Could this be a breadcrumb left by a secretive order?

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 A Man-Made Swamp?

Let’s go back to the swamp.

The aligned stones, cut timbers, and iron pins are not natural. They point to human engineering—possibly to construct a dam, conceal a tunnel, or manipulate the landscape to hide something.

Fred Nolan believed the swamp was artificially created. Now, decades later, his theory seems more real than ever. With Zena’s map, the boulder alignment, and physical structures, the swamp is no longer just a side mystery. It could be central to the treasure’s location.

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🪵 RP3: Closer Than Ever?

Back at RP3, the discovery of massive wooden beams confirms the team is digging in the right place. These timbers may belong to the same tunnels that collapsed in 1861, potentially sealing treasure in the solution channel far below.

Marty believes this natural void—where water and debris disappear—may explain why no one has ever found the treasure. It’s not gone. It’s just deeper than anyone’s ever dared to dig.

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 The Beads: Ancient Signals?

And let’s not forget those Venetian beads.

They aren’t scattered randomly. They’re found strategically, possibly ceremonial, or marking something significant. Their placement may signal ritual activity, or even hidden caches—deliberate clues left behind.

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 A Multi-Generational Puzzle

All of this leads to one major revelation:
Oak Island may not be the work of a single group.
It may be a layered history involving:

• The Templars
• The Knights of Malta
• Early European settlers
• And now, modern-day treasure hunters

Each group, across generations, may have played a part in hiding, protecting, or searching for something truly extraordinary.

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 Rick’s Belief: The Emotional Core

The episode closes with Rick Lagina standing at the swamp, quietly saying:

“I really had high hopes.”

That moment isn’t just about a single dig.
It’s about a lifetime of belief. About faith in the search—and the legacy behind it.

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 What Happens Next?

With winter fast approaching, the team faces a critical question:

• Do they dig deeper into the solution channel?
• Do they investigate the Knights of Malta in Malta itself?
• Do they finally drain the swamp once and for all?

Each path carries risk, but also the chance of the ultimate reward.

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Final Thoughts

“Just Beat It” isn’t just another episode—it’s a turning point.
With the Knights of Malta, man-made swamp structures, and deepening Money Pit clues, Oak Island’s mystery is more alive than ever.

So stay curious, treasure hunters.
The truth may be closer than we think.
And who knows?
The next episode might just bring us the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for.

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