The Oak Island Swamp Stone Apron: Evidence for a Seventeenth-Century Hydraulic Ship Maintenance Site Author: Jerald Lee Harrah Jr. (Jerry Harrah) Independent Researcher

Abstract Recent discoveries within the Oak Island swamp in Nova Scotia have revealed a large stone surface approximately 175 feet wide. While interpretations have ranged from roadways to structural foundations, this paper proposes an alternative explanation: the stone feature represents a functional working apron associated with a hydraulic maritime maintenance system operating between approximately 1685 and 1735. Rather than supporting the long-standing treasure burial narrative associated with the Money Pit, the evidence suggests the island functioned as a tidal water-management and ship-maintenance site. Central to this hypothesis is the presence of an engineered drainage system—commonly referred to as a “French drain”—connecting the Money Pit area and the swamp. This system likely regulated water flow across a stabilized stone working surface used for ship hull scraping and maintenance.