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Meet ‘The Curse Of Oak Island’ Brothers Rick And Marty Lagina

By Charlinda Robinson
Published on: 10:39 PST, Nov 13, 2015

There’s nothing like a good mystery, especially one with a curse and possibly one of the biggest hidden treasures in history attached. There are some explorers like Rick and Marty Lagina who have the overwhelming urge and desire to solve such mysteries, and Oak Island definitely provides such an outlet. Many have tried and failed to reach the elusive treasure, six men have even lost their lives. Despite the curse that states one more must die before the curse is fulfilled and the treasure found, Rick and Marty are determined to solve the mystery. Get to know Rick and Marty and why they embarked on this adventure, as the third season of The Curse of Oak Island kicks into high gear.

Warning: Possible spoilers ahead!

So, who are Ricky and Marty Lagina, and how did they come about acquiring a stake in the ownership of Oak Island? The brothers hail from Michigan, where Rick is a retired U.S. postal worker. Marty is an engineer and his ventures in the energy business made him millions, and he is the main financial provider for this daunting project. Rick and Marty did their homework, and came to the island in an attempt to find whatever treasure may be hidden on the small, peanut-shaped island that is only about a mile long. According to the Detroit News, Rick and Marty own the controlling interest of Oak Island Tours, which is the company the island actually belongs to. Although Marty is all for helping his brother find the treasure, he would eventually like to turn Oak Island into what would definitely be a lucrative tourist destination.

Channel Guide Magazine recently shared that when Rick was 11 years old, he read an article about the island in the January 1965 issue of Reader’s Digest. 50 years later, Rick was still dreaming of going to the island to find the treasure. With the assistance of Marty, perhaps he will realize that dream after all. Marty is the younger of the two and is also the biggest skeptic. Although he supports his brother, at times he plays the devil’s advocate and often acts as the calm voice of reason. Rick respects his brother and listens to his advice, but he is one determined man. In regard to sharing their journey with viewers, Rick was asked in an interview by My North if Oak Island’s complex history makes filming the series difficult.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the story of Oak Island since I was a little boy, and I was excited to know that the show would get out to all kinds of different people with different interests—with different approaches to the story and to the island. But I was fearful that we wouldn’t be able to share all of the story with the audience. It’s a 219-year story. Very complex, very intricate.”

Fans of the show would agree that everything about this island is complicated and will not give up any secrets easily. Rick and Marty will have to fight for every piece of evidence they may uncover. They do have one thing going for them that previous searchers didn’t have. They are able to gain access to the very best and latest cutting-edge technology available. They can now “see” what is under the ground and they are finding what they believe is some very promising evidence.

Currently, Rick and Marty are working in an area called 10-X, and last season they tried to send two divers into the shaft to see what they could find. The shaft is old, rusty, full of debris, and falling apart, and the dive had to be aborted. At first there was a plan for them to try again the next day, but after a brief discussion the brothers called off that dive as well. Rick and Marty did receive some good news, however. After dropping a scanning sonar device down a small parallel hole, they were able to get down into a void and see several objects.

Rick and Marty’s sonar expert Brian Abbott showed them a three-dimensional format that allowed them to see two round shapes that they believed could be clay pots, as well as a square object that could be man-made. The sonar also revealed what looks like two tunnels and a large wooden column. This season they use even more sophisticated equipment, which verifies what was found before and at the same time reveals even more mysterious items.

At one time, 92-year-old Dan Blankenship, the man who dug out and first explored 10-X several years ago, was able to film the bottom and was certain he saw several objects, including a body. Now Rick and Marty’s new technology experts also believe they have found what looks like a body at the bottom of 10-X, and have added another wooden column to the list of found objects. They asked Dan if the body he saw was headless and to their surprise, he tells Rick and Marty that he believes the head was cut off when he and his crew were drilling down to the bottom.

With all this evidence before them, Rick and Marty decide that it’s finally time to dig. This season they are determined to get to the bottom of 10-X, but first they will need to clear out the pipes, poles, and other debris at the bottom so it is safe for divers. They will also be checking out other areas targeted by their new treasure-locating instruments and devices. The Slanted shared that Rick and Marty will be launching a three-prong engineering assault on the Money Pit, 10-X, and the Swamp.

Are you a fan of the show? If you’ve never watched before and want to follow along as Rick and Marty Lagina continue their search, The Curse of Oak Island airs on Tuesday’s at 9 p.m. ET on the History channel. Leave your comments, thoughts, and opinions below.

[Photo from The Curse of Oak Island’s Facebook Page (cropped, resized poster)]

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