Oak Island - Pit Flooding Issues

Pit Flooding Issues

In 1851, treasure hunters discovered fibres beneath the surface of one beach called Smith's Cove. This led to the theory that the beach had been converted into a giant siphon, feeding water from the ocean into the pit via a manmade tunnel.

The purpose of these fibres has been a source of heated debate among Oak Island researchers since Coconut trees are not natural to Canada; a sample of this material was sent to the Smithsonian Institution in the early 20th century, where it was concluded that the material was coconut fibre. Carbon dating was conducted on a sample in the 1960s and returned a date of 1200–1400 CE. However, this testing method reveals only when the material was harvested, not when it was deposited at the site. Furthermore it is now known that carbon dating is less reliable for marine organisms and objects long immersed in seawater, due to the marine reservoir effect. For marine organisms, typically the dated object appears about 450 years older than its true age (a correction first estimated in 1975, although the exact value would have to be determined for the waters in which it was found.)

Oak Island lies on a glacial tumulus system and is underlain by a series of water-filled anhydrite cavities, which may be responsible for the repeated flooding of the pit. This type of limestone easily dissolves when exposed to water, forming caves and natural voids. Bedrock lies at a depth of 130–150 feet in the Money Pit area.

Upon the invitation of Boston-area businessman David Mugar, a two-week survey was conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1995. This is the only known scientific study that has been conducted on the site. After running dye tests in the bore hole, they concluded that the flooding was caused by a natural interaction between the island's freshwater lens and tidal pressures in the underlying geology, refuting the idea of artificially constructed flood tunnels. The Woods Hole scientists who viewed the videos taken in 1971 concluded that nothing conclusive could be determined from the murky images.