SEASON 13, EPISODE 15, “SWAMPED” EPISODE ANALYSIS BY DANIEL SPINO
- Feb 25
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 26
In this week’s episode, “SWAMPED”, the show began in the MONEY PIT AREA, where the Oak Island team welcomed SPC Canada and ROC and their equipment’s arrival to begin the big dig. The team is hoping to find the unusually high traces of gold and silver that reside in the area. They believe it is treasure that has fallen into the Solution Channel. The machinery that will be used is able to grab and work much faster than other equipment used before. The seven foot auger bit will chew through the earth with a steel caisson being inserted down into the Solution Channel. Then the Big Bucket will bring up the spoils and reveal treasure is their hope.
The action then took us to THE NORTH SWAMP AREA, where the Oak Island Team continued to work to locate clues and artifacts that will help understand what happened there. This area has produced a cobblestone pathway and a feature that was identified as a “Vault” by the team. After some searching, Metal Detectorist Gary Drayton discovered a piece of leather, apparently from a shoe or boot. He then finds another piece. They have also found pieces of leather from a shoe or boot in the southern swamp area as well. The excavator hit what appeared to be a void and another stake was found as well.
We were then taken back to the LOT 8 where the Oak Island team met to discuss moving of the boulder. The team met with crane operator, Corey Robart. After inspecting the area, Robart said that they would put a chain around it and insert pins to help secure it and bring in a 130-ton crane. Logistically it would be necessary to clear room around the boulder and remove some trees. The process would begin immediately.
We were then taken back to the MONEY PIT AREA, where the entire Oak Island team gathered to officially begin the big dig operations. An opening ceremony took place where the new borehole was named TPC – for Gary Drayton’s famous phrase, “TOP POCKET FIND”. Gary and his daughter, fellow Metal Detectorist Katya Drayton were selected to turn on the drill and start the operation. Gary went first and then followed by Katya to operate the machine. The big dig was now underway.
The scene shifted to the LAB, where the Oak Island Team met with Blacksmith Carmen Legge, who will give his opinion on some recent finds from Lot 8. The recently found Knife handle and chain were cited as being presented to Carmen for his analysis. Carmen inspected the alleged knife, and he said he did not believe it was a knife. Although at first, he could not identify what it was specifically. He mentioned that he believed it was a type of tool that seemingly had a mechanism that was a type of ratcheting tool. Archeometallurgist Emma Culligan then mentioned that the iron was very clean and appeared to have been from the 1700’s. Marty Lagina then asked, could it be older and she stated possibly.
The action shifted back to the NORTHERN SWAMP, where the Oak Island Team continued its excavation of the area. It was mentioned that the team was getting back to the end of the searchable area. They are tracking the projection of the cobblestone pathway that appears to go right to the shore. After some searching, Lot Owner Tom Nolan discovered a piece of wood. It appeared to be an inch think and was a plank. He then found another piece and the two pieces appeared to fit together. The entire piece was twelve inches wide and an inch thick. It was surmised this may have been part of a chest or a structure. Metal Detectorist Katya Drayton then discovered what appeared to be a key. It was iron and very heavy. It was found deep in the soil. The artifact would be sent to the Lab for a CT scan to hopefully show more details.
The scene shifted back to the MONEY PIT AREA where the SPC Canada and Roc Equipment began their drilling operations. After beginning to chew through the backfill, the action stopped as the machine hit cobble it could not go through. They went down approximately 20 feet and became locked up. It was stated that the Hydraulic Oscillator would need Reduction Inserts, or braces. This would cause a short delay. SPC Canada’s Adam Embleton said he was confident that they can get down into this area. The team is concerned about these setbacks and time running out on them this season.
The episode concluded at the WAR ROOM, where the Oak Island Team convened to discuss some C-14 testing on the shoe leather pieces from a boot/shoe that were found in the Swamp. Gary Drayton mentioned that he thought it was old because of the design and it being elongated. He mentioned it was found in black peat and was deep in the ground. Craig Tester then read the C-14 results to the team, and he stated that the most probability listed was from 1148-1216 AD. The team was very surprised by the results and speculated that this gave corroboration for Dr. Gaspani’s theory that Nolan’s Cross was created in 1200 AD and to involvement by the Knights Templar. It was mentioned that the artifact would be sent out and cleaned to confirm the results. Until next week….
DANIEL’S ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY:
During this week’s episode, C-14 Test results were revealed that indicated a very surprising date. The artifacts in question were pieces of shoe leather unearthed in the North Swamp area. The immediate idea is that this may have been from a shoe or boot from a Knight Templar or Norseman from around the year 1200 AD. The issue with this idea is that there are problems surrounding the C-14 testing on leather that puts these results into question. Apparently, C-14 testing can be very accurate for leather, but there’s certain leather that gets contaminated and then throws off the results. In essence, it makes an artifact appear older than it actually is. In this case the chemicals from the leather in the boot or shoe has done just that. Leather expert, Joe Landry has inspected similar leather and said it was from the 1800’s. This seems to be correct in this case as well. How do we know? Because the history of Lot Ownership on Oak Island suggests it.
The shoe leather was found on Lot 11, which is the Northern Swamp area. This lot was once owned by Neil McMullen who married the widow of Duncan Smith and was the stepfather of John Smith. In 1827 it was sold to Neil McMullen Smith, who was John Smith’s son. Neil Smith’s occupation in property records lists him as a Cordwainer. A Cordwainer was a skilled artisan who made shoes/boots form new leather. This involved the tanning of hides that would produce the leather used. Tanning hides was labor-intensive, foul-smelling, and time-consuming. The process could take months or even up to two years to convert raw skins into leather. It involved cleaning, removing hair with lime/urine, soaking in acidic bark-based tan liquor, and finishing with oil. Oak or hemlock bark provided the necessary tannin. Pits and access to water was essential. This would have made the Swamp area perfect for such an operation. Cordwainers often used brick-lined pits, aka trash pits, to dispose of leather scraps and waste. This could very well be the purpose of the alleged Vault found close by.
Lot 11 would later be sold to Anthony Graves. It should also be noted that on Lot 31, to the south, another Cordwainer owned that Lot, named Thomas Hovey. He owned the Lot before 1776 and until 1792, when it was obtained by his son-in-law, Jacob Hatt. Any leather found in this area of the Southern Swamp could be associated with the industrial activities of Covey. The use of these chemicals is the exact reason that C-14 results could be faulty and produce inaccurate results. On the episode it was mentioned that the leather would be sent out for cleaning and further testing, but it wasn’t explained why. This presumably is the reason, so that the results can be verified, and a more accurate date can be confirmed.
Please follow our weekly episode analyses during Season 13, along with articles from the original “Compendium/Blockhouse Blog”, and special investigations and features involving Oak Island. Feel free to reach out to us for questions, comments, information and any theories to our email, theoakislandcompendium@gmail.com
Good day from Daniel of the Compendium!
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