The Angled Stone Walkway of Oak Island: A Concealed Maritime Access System in the Southeast Swamp Jerald L. Harrah Jr. Independent Researcher

Abstract This paper examines the stone walkway located in the southeastern portion of Oak Island’s swamp and proposes that its unusual angled approach represents a deliberate design choice intended for secrecy, controlled access, and hydraulic function. Rather than a random or failed construction, the walkway’s geometry, termination point, and relationship to tidal mechanics strongly suggest its role as a concealed maritime ingress system. When analyzed within a historical, nautical, and engineering framework—particularly one consistent with French colonial intelligence and naval logistics—the structure reveals itself not as an anomaly, but as a component of a larger, machine-like harbor system capable of servicing ships while remaining visually undetectable to passing vessels. ⸻ 1. Introduction Oak Island has long been studied through the lens of isolated features: shafts, stones, drains, and anomalies