Great post!
the box drains constructed beneath the beach at Smiths Cove were filled with Coconut fibres and Ell Grass to filter out the sand contained in the perpetual sea water wave action. The inlets off the South Shore had no filter system in place (see CAD) which is why the four separate independent tunnels were used and each one descended to the lowest excavated point on Oak Island. The unfiltered sand at South Shore constantly entered the inlets slid and down the steeply sloping tunnels to settle in the Money Pit Sand Sump. The relatively clear of sand water is what was required by the designer, it formed the stagnant level of the sea water in the sloping West tunnel. this water level was prevented from rising any higher due to a designed air lock. Any attempt to reach the below sea level repository full of treasure would breach that vital air lock, that escaping air would in turn cause the mine to completely flood in minutes. That effect is precisely what was intended, in short the mine was left that way as a deadly booby trap for fools who rush in.
, the bad news is don't know how to convince Rick of that 
.Hi releventchair, there is a very simple way to ascertain whether not there were filter drains and/or tunnels were/are real, they were almost certain to have been photographed at the time of discovery, they would have been privately revealed to attract investor's. I would agree that the Cryptic Message carved on the stone was a faked embellishment to attract investment but not the filter drains or tunnels.
No.....if there's money in it, the heirs will take over the show. It's amazing to me how many gullible people they can rope into this farce. The pay must be good. Can I help?
