About This Structure
A long log ramp uncovered by Dan Blankenship during his Smith's Cove excavation between August 1969 and October 1970. The ramp measured approximately nine feet wide and ninety feet long, built from logs that Blankenship described as very old. When the ramp was followed toward shore, the remains of a higher dock of much newer construction were found resting on top of it, indicating two distinct phases of waterfront building at the same location. Rocks two to three feet thick had been placed over the lower ramp. Blankenship and Gerald Dorey first dug with pick and shovel at extreme low tide to expose flood tunnel workings, and at the next low tide extended the search and uncovered additional structures approximately eight feet below the surface. The Smith and Coles law firm letter of 14 October 1969 records that the wood structures were embedded five to six feet below the seabed, beyond the perimeter of the original cofferdam, generally in line with the cave-in shaft and the Money Pit. A beam from the inclined ramp was submitted to Geochron Laboratories in October 1969 by Kerry Ellard's representative McCabe. Geochron sample GX-1691 returned a result of 815 plus or minus 110 C-14 years before present, calibrating to approximately 1135 AD with a range of 1025 to 1245 AD. Geochron identified the sample as wood, probably pine. Harold Kruger of Geochron cautioned that the wood came from rather large trees which may have had a substantial age at the time of fabrication, and that radiocarbon dating measures when the tree formed rather than when the wood was worked. The inclined ramp is structurally distinct from the slipway later excavated by the Lagina team during Season 6, which was dendrochronologically dated by Dr. Colin Laroque to 1769. The slipway and the lower ramp may represent different construction phases at the same location, or two separate waterfront features within Smith's Cove.
Historical Context
Sources: Les MacPhie, "Summary of Documents and Results for Carbon Dating at Oak Island" (compiled July 2006). Geochron Laboratories report GX-1691 (19 December 1969, p. 14). Harold Kruger to McCabe (19 December 1969, p. 13). Kerry Ellard to Dr. J. Terasmae (15 September 1970, p. 23). Dan Blankenship, "Results of digging done in Smith's Cove, November 1969" (pp. 7, 9-10). Blankenship, "Summary of Work Performed at Smith's Cove, August 31 - September 18, 1970" (pp. 16-19). Smith and Coles letter to Helix Investments (14 October 1969, p. 11). Blankenship "Resume of operations" (14 October 1970, pp. 24, 26-28). Structure plan drawings (p. 19). Smith's Cove Grid System map by George Bates, surveyor (p. 18).
Where It Was Found
Found at Smith's Cove, inside cofferdam area, 5-6 feet below the seabed — the north shore of Oak Island where the flood tunnel system was discovered.
