Marty and Gary Reopen the Mystery of Lot 8 in “On Their Marks”(S10E1)

In Season 10, Episode 1 of The Curse of Oak Island, titled “On Their Marks”, the team returns to Nova Scotia with renewed energy. Marty Lagina and Gary Drayton focus their efforts on Lot 8, a historically under-explored area that previously yielded a semi-precious garnet brooch. What begins as a simple sweep for metal turns into a revealing investigation of a potentially strategic hauling route—and the recovery of several artifacts that point toward secretive, high-effort operations.

Air Date	November 15, 2022
Episode	The Curse of Oak Island – Season 10, Episode 1
Main Cast Featured	Rick Lagina, Marty Lagina, Gary Drayton, Craig Tester, Jack Begley, Emma Culligan, Carmen Legge

In Season 10, Episode 1 of The Curse of Oak Island, titled “On Their Marks”, the team returns to Nova Scotia with renewed energy. Marty Lagina and Gary Drayton focus their efforts on Lot 8, a historically under-explored area that previously yielded a semi-precious garnet brooch. What begins as a simple sweep for metal turns into a revealing investigation of a potentially strategic hauling route—and the recovery of several artifacts that point toward secretive, high-effort operations.

Revisiting Lot 8: From Garnets to Guns

Gary and Marty head to Lot 8 where they had once uncovered a red garnet that 32nd degree Freemason Scott Clarke previously theorized could be linked to the Masonic Royal Arch High Priest breastplate—a piece tied to rituals symbolizing the retrieval of the Ark of the Covenant.

Scott Clarke (flashback): “This garnet was actually the perfect color, size, and general shape as one of the stones from the Masonic Royal Arch High Priest breastplate.”

Now armed with fresh equipment and clearer goals, Marty and Gary uncover:

• An oxen shoe, indicating historic hauling activity in a location with no known farming past.
• A mystery metal object that Gary describes as potentially a gun handle or tool, which is later scanned for its internal structure.

Marty Lagina: “There was never any occupation on this lot… this may be more substantive than perhaps elsewhere.”

Interestingly, the team had previously recovered a flintlock musket fragment from the same vicinity, raising the possibility that this object may be part of the same weapon or related deposit.

A Bunk Hook and a Bigger Theory

Before Carmen’s assessment, archaeologist Emma Culligan used a SKYSCAN 1273 CT scanner to generate a non-destructive internal image of the encrusted object, allowing the team to study its structure beneath centuries of corrosion.

After CT scanning the metal object, blacksmith expert Carmen Legge identifies it as a bunk hook—a tool used to haul heavy loads like logs or cargo. Carmen estimates the hook could support loads of up to 7 to 8 tons, suggesting industrial-scale use. He notes its design may predate 1795, making its presence especially intriguing on a lot with little known activity.

The team weighs the artifact’s origin carefully, questioning whether its industrial strength and placement in the middle of a historically quiet lot could indicate a larger operation—possibly involving the movement of heavy cargo or construction materials tied to secretive activity. This interpretation dovetails with past discoveries on Lot 8 and opens the door for deeper excavation and historical correlation.

Rick Lagina: “Why not try to gain a further understanding… there’s more work to do.”