Dowsing for metal ore, from the 1556 book "De re metallica libri XII" by Doug Crowell - Blockhouse Investigations - Nova Scotia
We've often heard it said that Dan Blankenship chose the spot to sink Borehole 10X on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, by dowsing. So we dug into the records to see if we could find indication of whether this oft repeated "fact" was true or not.
Dowsing is a technique used in search of subterranean targets, such as minerals, water and, even grave sites, through the use of a pointer; usually a forked stick or a pair of dowsing rods.
What we found shows that Blankenship did indeed use dowsing to select the spot. And, not only that, but he also reported many other items of interest, in the same manner. While dowsing is far from a scientifically accepted method, and is often referred to as a pseudoscience, there are those that firmly believe in the method. Blankenship, as you will see, performed extensive investigations by applying the technique, and reported some intriguing outcomes.
We've often heard it said that Dan Blankenship chose the spot to sink Borehole 10X on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, by dowsing. So we dug into the records to see if we could find indication of whether this oft repeated "fact" was true or not.
Dowsing is a technique used in search of subterranean targets, such as minerals, water and, even grave sites, through the use of a pointer; usually a forked stick or a pair of dowsing rods.
What we found shows that Blankenship did indeed use dowsing to select the spot. And, not only that, but he also reported many other items of interest, in the same manner. While dowsing is far from a scientifically accepted method, and is often referred to as a pseudoscience, there are those that firmly believe in the method. Blankenship, as you will see, performed extensive investigations by applying the technique, and reported some intriguing outcomes.
In this article we bring you information on dowsing discoveries from the archival records of Triton Alliance.
From the records of David Tobias, courtesy of Les MacPhie and John Wonnacott
Dan Blankenship describes the Dowsing Method used
"These particular 'Divining rods' are made of welding rods about 30" long x 1/8" thick probably steel. They are bent at right angle making a handle to hold about 8" from one end. They are then placed in front of you and gripped rather firmly and held horizontally. Upon hitting an attraction the rods will twist and cross in your hands regardless how tightly you grip them. I have had a second person grab the end of the rod while they are motivated by some unknown force and pull them straight. As soon as he lets go the rods return to their original strained position. The force is unmistakable. Following are the tests and controls which I have made in order to check out the authenticity and accuracy of these so called "divining rods". These tests were made with the help and participation of Gerald Dorey, Western Shore, Nova Scotia, when these "rods" work for equally as well as myself." - Dan Blankenship report, 1966
metal dowsing rods similar to those used by Blankenship The following is Blankenship's explanation of how they tested the accuracy of dowsing. He'd been in the tunnels at the bottom of the Hedden shaft prior to dowsing, so was familiar with their layout. He let the tunnels fill back up with water and had Gerald Dorey try to identify where the tunnels were and how they were laid out using the dowsing rods. This is Blankenship's own report on the outcomes of his test dowsing.
"#1 Extending outwardly from the Hedden Shaft are two major tunnels at a depth of 110". While we had the shaft pumped down a year ago, I've been in these tunnels many times. In fact I took pictures of them with my movie camera and also my polaroid. I have measured these tunnels with a 100' tape. One is a straight and goes to the Ss.W. 87' where it blanks off. Another short one branches off from it at a sharp angle and extends for about 8' where it blanks off. The third one goes out from the S. side of the Hedden Shaft and circles around to the West coming back into the same shaft in the N.W. corner. This tunnel is about 85' long. Gerald had no way of knowing of the existence of these tunnels, as he never worked on Oak Island until this year and I was the only one currently working there that has been in them. Shortly after I was down in January of last year, the pump was shut off and pulled out of the shaft, the water quickly rising to tide level. I started Gerald walking in the vicinity of the tunnels and told him what to look for. He quickly picked up each tunnel and followed it accurately, encluding telling me where the first two evidently blanked off. I checked his findings with a tape and found he was 100% correct, including telling me the exact width of these tunnels, the circeling one being about 1' narrower than the straight ones. These tunnels incidently go back to the Halifax Co. in 1860 and were still in pretty good shape." - Dan Blankenship report, 1966
Report by Dan Blankenship on the results of dowsing performed on Oak Island.
The following report on the use of dowsing to search Oak Island was written by Dan Blankenship in 1966.
"#2 We found a total of sixteen little fingers sticking out between low and high tide which were made by the original people in order to collect the ocean water and carry it to a central shaft which was filled solid with stone in "Smith's Cove". After finding them with the rods we could actually see twelve with the naked eye, of which we dug up four, and found out how they were constructed."
"#3 We were able to pick up all of the known searching tunnels put in by Halifax Co. in 1868. these were confirmed by comparing our findings with old drawings which Mr. Chappell showed us."
"#4 A complete new system was found in Smith's cove which takes up a different direction than the flood tunnels found. This system was dug into and the old leather soul of a man's shoe was found as well as a man made heart shape stone. The chisel marks are still quite obvious."
"#5 A complete new depository location has been discovered with its own flood tunnel system. The drilling of holes #43-44 and 48 proved their existence. Subsequent tunnels, and small rooms away from the work chambers complete with their own spiral tunnel have been found. This opens up a brand new theory of what was done by the original people and one that could at last explain why nobody before us have been successful. This discovery also explain how they (depositors) fooled their own people and kept their treasure safe."
"#6 In checking a certain area of beach removed from Smith's Cove, I got an attraction about 5' wide and 245' long running parallel with the beach between low and high tide. We quickly dug into this and found these conditions to be true. The original sides of the trench were very obvious and the trench was full with stone, gravel and sand."
"#7 We also traced out a flooding tunnel from the "Money Pit". This tunnel was followed 1155' away to the opposite side of the island. We later put in dye in the "Pit" and pumped in thousands of gallons of water, and went skin diving in order to find out where it was leading to. It showed up at this location 1155' away about 3 to 4 hours later."
"#8 At least eight new flood tunnels were found by the use of "diving rods". All of these have subsequently been checked out either by digging or by skin diving.
"#9 In following the longest of these flood tunnels from the "Money Pit" we found sunken areas of depressions. In digging these up a few feet we definitely would find the circular outline of a shaft. These are air shafts which these people had to have."
"#3 We were able to pick up all of the known searching tunnels put in by Halifax Co. in 1868. these were confirmed by comparing our findings with old drawings which Mr. Chappell showed us."
"#4 A complete new system was found in Smith's cove which takes up a different direction than the flood tunnels found. This system was dug into and the old leather soul of a man's shoe was found as well as a man made heart shape stone. The chisel marks are still quite obvious."
"#5 A complete new depository location has been discovered with its own flood tunnel system. The drilling of holes #43-44 and 48 proved their existence. Subsequent tunnels, and small rooms away from the work chambers complete with their own spiral tunnel have been found. This opens up a brand new theory of what was done by the original people and one that could at last explain why nobody before us have been successful. This discovery also explain how they (depositors) fooled their own people and kept their treasure safe."
"#6 In checking a certain area of beach removed from Smith's Cove, I got an attraction about 5' wide and 245' long running parallel with the beach between low and high tide. We quickly dug into this and found these conditions to be true. The original sides of the trench were very obvious and the trench was full with stone, gravel and sand."
"#7 We also traced out a flooding tunnel from the "Money Pit". This tunnel was followed 1155' away to the opposite side of the island. We later put in dye in the "Pit" and pumped in thousands of gallons of water, and went skin diving in order to find out where it was leading to. It showed up at this location 1155' away about 3 to 4 hours later."
"#8 At least eight new flood tunnels were found by the use of "diving rods". All of these have subsequently been checked out either by digging or by skin diving.
"#9 In following the longest of these flood tunnels from the "Money Pit" we found sunken areas of depressions. In digging these up a few feet we definitely would find the circular outline of a shaft. These are air shafts which these people had to have."
man using forked stick for dowsing- wikipedia Out of these items reported, #7 caught our attention the most, as it seems that they confirmed the dowsing results with a dye test. Not only that, but it seemed to indicate a channel through the island in terrain vastly different from that of the Money Pit location. We've not found a follow-up on this report as of yet.
Regardless of the end results of dowsing on Oak Island, its application in the search has given us major milestones in the history of the island, such as:
Who knew dowsing could generate such interest?
Goodnight from The Blockhouse!
Regardless of the end results of dowsing on Oak Island, its application in the search has given us major milestones in the history of the island, such as:
- the creation of Borehole 10X, a 235+ foot shaft into a cavity below bedrock- an engineering feat which amazes many even to this day.
- dives to the bottom of that shaft by a few brave men, such as divers Phil Irwin, Alan Sagar, and Dan Blankenship.
- the possible sighting of a treasure chest, body, and severed hand in the water filled cavity.
- a popular TV show, called the Curse of Oak Island, which has chronicled the current efforts to explore that same cavity, including the most recent diver to gain access to the 10X cavity, John Chatterton.
Who knew dowsing could generate such interest?
Goodnight from The Blockhouse!