'The Curse Of Oak Island' Season 7 Episode 22 Review: The team is sure they're closing in on some buried secrets
Have they found the treasure? No. But are they close to solving the Oak Island puzzle that has been plaguing historians, scholars and travelers for centuries? Also no.
'The Curse Of Oak Island' returned with Episode 22 titled ' X Marks The Spot'. In the previous episode, there was much delight as they found timber and what they believed to be Roman numerals engraved on wooden logs. There were numerous speculations and theories arising from this and the team was sure that they were closing in on something. To be fair, they're always sure that they're closing in on a breakthrough. It's that rosy optimism that's kept them going for over six years.
The episode began with the team excavating the Shaft, with much hope and excitement. You know the pattern of the show and you know where this is going. There's excitement, cheer and nervousness, only to be dampened quickly and renewed again by the end of the episode. But now after weeks of watching Oak Island, you'll be pretty surprised when the show breaks the pattern, so might as well enjoy what we see, right? So after much digging and endless excavation, the team suffers a technological glitch as their equipment seems to blocked and cannot dig further. Jack Begley also discovers more coconut fiber. Remember how crucial coconut fiber is to their investigation? Coconut fiber is not indigenous to the North Atlantic and has for a long time been believed to be covering the mythical flood tunnels in some way. Are they *finally* close to the Money Pit?
Upsetting as it is, it fuels their conviction that there is something blocking their search. What could it be? Oh, it's also important to mention that they find a 'crowbar', or rather that's what metal detection expert Gary Drayton calls it. They rush to blacksmith Carmen Leggae, who should just be expecting these weekly visits by now. They also bring with them the pickaxe from last week. After careful examination of these tools, Leggae says that they're from the 1700s.
After suffering disappointment at the shaft, the Lagina brothers take a break and head to Samuel Ball's Foundation. Samuel Ball's rags to riches story has always puzzled people. He came to the island as a cabbage farmer and left as a wealthy man. There's something in that story that the Lagina brothers are determined to uncover.
And so, the team literally takes their spades and start digging and find a hint of a tunnel. Gary is sure that there's something in the pit and says 'That's where I'll hide my treasure'. And then they hit a dead end in the tunnel, due to a big rock. Was it placed by nature? Was it placed by man? But they'll keep excavating - they're not going to give up.
'The Curse Of Oak Island' airs on Tuesdays, History Channel, 9 pm.