Rick Lagina and Gary Drayton monitor the excavation of RP2, now at a depth of 82 feet. The hammer grab produces more wood, and Steve Guptill confirms the dig is cutting through the north corner of Shaft 6, the likely source of the beams. He adds that the bottom of the hole should also catch part of the tunnel running from Shaft 6 to the Money Pit. Gary scans the spoils and pulls out a piece of iron strap resembling one recovered from RP1 days earlier. Steve brings a timber to the table that he and Rick agree appears to be a corner piece. Vanessa reports the dig is at 87 feet before another can is stacked. By 96 feet, more wood is coming up, including a hewn beam that Rick and Marty Lagina set aside for closer inspection. Vanessa halts for the day at 100 feet, with the casing at 107. The following morning, the dig has reached 105 feet, and the next grab produces large timbers. Terry identifies a piece of adze-cut wood, and Gary recovers a barrel stave, a find that carries historical weight: when the Money Pit collapsed in 1861, a worker escaping through Shaft 6 retrieved the top of a barrel. Lee then reports hitting something hard, and pressures spike. Vanessa confirms a depth of about 116 feet, but the next grab contains neither wood nor metal. Terry identifies in situ material, and Rick declares RP2 complete, noting the team will mark Shaft 6 off the list and place the next caisson over the tunnel.
In the northern swamp, Craig Tester, Jack Begley, Katya Drayton, and Alan Kostrzewa continue the search. Katya recovers a piece of axe-cut wood, and she and Jack set aside boards for possible testing. Rick arrives, and Craig updates him on the finds. The team looks for a continuation of the stake line, and when Alan pulls back soil, Rick spots a stake that does not align with those found previously. Katya picks up a metal signal within a piece of wood that also bears what appear to be carved lines. Ethan examines the marks and concludes they were made deliberately, likely for gripping. The next day, Katya locates another stake with eight cuts, and Tom Nolan observes a consistent spacing pattern. Measurements confirm the stakes are 14 feet apart. Using that interval, the team projects the next location. When Alan clears the soil, Jack finds a large pin, which they show to Rick along with the spacing data.
On Lot 5, Fiona scrapes away soil and recovers a large nail with minimal corrosion compared to more modern iron. She estimates it dates to the mid to late 1700s and suggests its size indicates use in a large structure such as a wharf. Continuing to dig, she uncovers a piece of Astbury ware with visible combing lines and glaze. She tells Ethan it is likely one of the older ceramics found in this area, possibly dating to 1740. Astbury ware is an English-made pottery produced from the 1720s to the 1760s.
At the wash plant, Blake brings over a handle found in the RP2 spoils. Charles shows Rick a piece of glazed pottery that could be part of a handle; Rick notes that Laird has said glaze on only one side indicates an older piece. Charles then produces another pottery fragment bearing a fleur-de-lis type design, prompting Rick to mention the ship's log recording the arrival of the Duc d'Anville.
In the War Room, Dr. Ian Spooner presents carbon dating results for the wooden dowel found at 60 feet in the RP2 spoils. The dates of 1725 to 1764 come back at 44 percent probability, placing the dowel within the timeframe of the original Money Pit. Dr. Spooner adds that the period also aligns with several artifacts recovered from Lot 5.
