Photo: Stein Morten sits by the memorial stone on Oak Island for they who lost their life searching for the big treasure.
© Travel Explorations.
Oak Island, also called the "Money Pit" and "Treasure Island", even though nothing has been found so far. It is still one of the world's greatest mysteries. Someone says it is so incredible constructed that it is impossible that humans have made it, especially not for 200 years ago.
Here is the story about what happened when I visited the island in 1997:
For over 20-25 years ago I read about Oak Island in a book for children containing funny Donald Duck illustrations. During the years I have collected a lot of information about the big quest there. Finally in 1997 I couldn't wait any longer to see this wonder of the world.
Oak Island is located on the Atlantic North East cost of North America, in Nova Scotia, Canada. I set out the long way to the island far away from my home. After my travel mate Geir and I arrived in Halifax, we rented a car, and drove 80 km along the cost line in the western direction to find our destination.
Before we took off I made a telephone call to a company who had something to do with Oak Island. A woman answered the phone, and told me strictly that there were no chances to enter the island. Everything was closed. There is nothing going on there now, she said. But of course, we didn't give up.
Photo: We entered the disreptuable Oak Island on this built causeway.
© Travel Explorations. |
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We passed a closed gate on the causeway, and soon we sat our first steps on the island. Few minutes later an old angry woman approached us and started to shout at us. We explained our wishes, but we had no chance. She recognised my voice from the telephone conversation, and asked me whether I didn't believe what she said to me on the phone.
You are now on my family's private property and you are not allowed to walk around here. She was the landowner's wife. Her message was undoubtedly clear; you have to leave this island immediately. We asked her some questions about the mystery, but she was not interesting in any further conversation.
According to the legend I heard, is that when the seventh person dies, someone will find the treasure. So far six people have perished in their efforts searching for the big treasure (see the photo on the top of this article where the author Stein Morten sits by the memorial stone for they who lost their life searching for the big treasure).
After we returned from the island, we a made phone call to another landowner of the island, named Robert Young, and made an appointment with him. He runs a small shop near Oak Island Hotel. He showed us many strange items from the island. In one case he showed us oak sticks with several strange signs carved out of someone.
Robert Young told us also that he and another landowner on the island run their own investigation project. Both were very optimistic and determined to find something under their ground. They had no contact with the owner we met, and I had a clear impression that they didn't like each other.
Will this well captivated mystery ever be solved? It is impossible to indicate how far or close someone is to solve the mystery. People who are intensively digging don't know it themselves. For me I didn't explore anything new. We didn`t find any treasure so we could finance the rest of our tour. Instead I had to call my father to ask for money……
I still ask the same questions as I did before I went there: who constructed the labyrinth of shafts and tunnels? When was it done? Why was it done? How was it done? But I really got some strong ideas over there about what all this is about.
Hopefully it will be possible to return to this interesting island one day. I believe there is something unique buried deep under the ground there. I cross my fingers for that it is still preserved, and not broken after all the desperately excavations.
Anyway, even tough after over 200 years of digging, it is too early to give up. The world's longest and most expensive treasure hunt will continue. Digging, digging, and digging, so they finally can solve the mystery of the "Money Pit" once and for all!
Stein Morten Lund, 20 August 2000.
Additional information
Read more about Oak Island on our global travel guide www.TravelExplorations.com.
Read also other itchy feet travel tales on our website.
Halifax in Canada is Nova Scotia's capital. It`s considered as on one of the world's largest natural harbours. It`s like a ghost town filled with fog. From the old time the city has disreptuable for being a main centre for pirates. Halifax was used as a base during the rescue operations for when Titanic sank.
Formal country name: Canada
Area: 9.97 million sq km
Population: 31.28 million
Capital City: Ottawa
People: British descent, French descent, Italian descent, aboriginal peoples, plus significant minorities of Irish, German, Ukrainian, Dutch, Greek, Polish and Chinese descent
Language: French, English
Religion: Catholic (45%), Protestant (36%) and minorities from most of the world's major religions
Government: constitutional monarchy
For more background information: www.LonelyPlanet.com.
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