The dirt is flying again in Nova Scotia. If you’re like me, you’ve spent a decade watching Rick and Marty Lagina chase shadows in a swamp, and you’re probably itching to know when does the show oak island come back on for its next big push. It’s a legitimate question. For years, The Curse of Oak Island has followed a rhythm as predictable as the Atlantic tides, usually dropping new episodes right as the leaves start to turn in the Northeast.
Honestly? The wait is the hardest part.
As of early 2026, History Channel has kept the specific premiere date for the upcoming cycle under wraps, but we can look at the data. Historically, the show kicks off its newest season in early to mid-November. We’ve seen this pattern hold firm since the mid-2010s. If the production schedule follows the standard "drill in the summer, edit in the fall" pipeline, you should expect the fellowship to return to your screen by the second Tuesday of November. That’s the sweet spot.
Why the Oak Island Schedule Always Shifts Slightly
Production isn’t easy on a tiny island subject to Canadian winters. You can't just film year-round. Rick, Marty, and the team—including guys like Doug Crowell and the ever-present Paul Troutman—have a very narrow window to get heavy machinery onto the island. When people ask when does the show oak island come back on, they often forget that the filming is dictated by the weather in Mahone Bay.
If the ground stays frozen longer in the spring, the "big dig" gets pushed back. That trickles down to the editing room. Usually, the crew arrives in May. They spend the summer months doing the actual heavy lifting—muon tomography, borehole drilling in the Money Pit, and metal detecting with Gary Drayton. By the time September rolls around, the cameras are still rolling, but the editors are already piecing together the early episodes.
It’s a tight turnaround.
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Last year, we saw a slight delay because of some nasty weather patterns in the North Atlantic. But generally, the History Channel likes to use Oak Island as their "anchor" show for the winter season. It’s their heavy hitter. They aren't going to sit on it.
What to Expect When the Show Finally Returns
The buzz right now isn't just about the date. It's about the depth. We’ve moved past the era of just finding wood and old ox shoes. The 2025-2026 efforts have pivoted hard toward the "Garden Shaft." This isn't just another hole in the ground. The team has been investing millions into making this shaft structurally sound so they can actually get human beings down there to look at the feeder tunnels.
Expect the first few episodes of the new season to focus on:
- The completion of the Garden Shaft stabilization.
- New muon tomography results that might pinpoint "non-ferrous" (hopefully gold) anomalies.
- Gary Drayton finding something that makes him say "holy shamoley" at least three times per episode.
- More deep-dive research into the Nolan’s Cross alignments.
The "when" matters, but the "what" is looking more promising than it has in years. There’s a rumor—and keep in mind it’s just a rumor among the locals in Western Shore—that the team found a significant void near the "Aladdin’s Cave" area during the most recent off-season survey. If that holds true, the premiere episode is going to be massive.
The Science vs. The Legend: Why We Keep Watching
People complain. They say "they never find anything." But that's not really true, is it? They find history. They've found 14th-century lead crosses and coins that shouldn't be there. The reason the question of when does the show oak island come back on trends every single year is because the mystery is genuinely unsolved.
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The science has evolved. Back in Season 1, they were just poking holes. Now? They’re using sub-bottom profilers and seismic testing. Dr. Ian Spooner and Dr. Matt Lukeman have brought a level of geological credibility to the search that didn't exist when the show started. They aren't just treasure hunters; they’re forensic investigators of a 200-year-old cold case.
Breaking Down the Likely Timeframe
If you’re planning your watch parties, mark your calendars for these windows. This is based on the last five years of History Channel programming shifts:
- Early October: Look for the first "Teaser" trailers. These usually drop during other History Channel hits like Pawn Stars or Alone.
- Late October: The "Drilling Down" specials hosted by Matty Blake typically air a week or two before the actual premiere. These are basically recap episodes to remind you where the Garden Shaft progress ended.
- Second Week of November: The official premiere. It almost always occupies the 9:00 PM EST slot on Tuesdays.
The Curse of the "Wait and See"
The show's longevity is a bit of a miracle in the world of cable TV. Most reality series burn out after five seasons. Oak Island is well into double digits. This is partly due to the Lagina brothers' sincerity. You can tell they’re spending more of their own money than the show is likely paying them at this point. That's why the fan base is so loyal.
We wait because we want to see the "Aha!" moment. We want to see the moment the drill bit comes up covered in something other than clay and wood.
There are skeptics, of course. Some researchers, like those who follow the "everything is just a natural sinkhole" theory, think the show is just dragging its feet. But the recent discovery of high levels of silver and gold in the water samples from the Money Pit area—tested by actual labs, not just for TV—suggests there is something massive decomposing down there.
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Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Fan
If you want to stay ahead of the official announcements, don't just wait for the History Channel website to update. They are notoriously slow.
First, keep an eye on the "Oak Island From the Air" Facebook groups and blogs. Local pilots often fly over the island and take high-resolution photos of the construction. If you see the "oscillators" (those giant vibrating machines that drive the caissons) moving toward a new spot, you know a big episode is coming.
Second, check the social media of the crew members. While they are under strict NDAs, you can often see when they "wrap" filming. Usually, when Jack Begley or Peter Fornetti post about being back home in Michigan or elsewhere, you know the season is in the can and the countdown to the premiere has officially begun.
Finally, make sure your DVR or streaming service (like Hulu + Live TV or Philo) is set to record "New Episodes Only." Sometimes History Channel drops "Special Editions" with added footage that can clog up your queue, but the real premiere will be labeled as a new season.
The mystery of Oak Island has lasted since 1795. A few more months of waiting for the show to return is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Get your snacks ready, because once November hits, the search for the 90-foot stone's secrets starts all over again.
Next Steps to Stay Updated:
- Check the local Nova Scotia weather reports; a mild autumn often means a longer filming season and a potentially later premiere.
- Monitor the History Channel’s Tuesday night lineup starting in late September for "Coming Soon" graphics.
- Follow the official "Curse of Oak Island" social media pages, but prioritize the "Oak Island From the Air" fan community for raw, unedited progress updates from the island itself.