Gary Drayton’s Daughter, Katya, Makes Significant Find on ‘The Curse of Oak Island'

The Curse of Oak Island is proof that if you have a premise that intrigues viewers, you don't need to come up with a million and one different narratives or storylines to keep them engaged.

Taking place more or less on the same 20 square miles, the series follows treasure hunters in their search for a legendary bounty that's supposed to be hidden somewhere in the land.

Recently, fans of the show noticed that series mainstay and metal detection expert Gary Drayton is now joined by his daughter Katya on the series.

In the Jan. 21, 2025 episode, Katya officially joined the Smith's Cove treasure hunters in their quest to unearth the purported mysteries that are waiting to be exhumed on the island.

According to MSN, she's been out with her father since the age of 7 scouring for metallic objects. The team is undoubtedly going to utilize her passion for metal detection.

Rick Lagina, who is at the center of the squad's efforts met with the younger Drayton and approved of her inclusion.

Moving forward, she will be featured in Oak Island episodes alongside Gary and will be helping him out with his metal-detecting excursions.

One of the key questions Rick asked her prior to joining the squad was whether or not she believed the island actually held the rumored treasure.

She resoundingly replied that she did and highlighted that since there was so much intrigue in the area, this was more than enough incentive for her to dedicate her efforts to finding the legendary boon that's said to be squirreled away there.

Gary was excited to have his daughter join their quest, which prompted Rick to make a quip about wishing his own nephews exhibited the same enthusiasm for exploring Oak Island's mysteries.

The young metal detecting practitioner teamed up with Jack Begley and Craig Tester in excavating Smith's Cove. In this area, the Oak Island crew has been toiling through various vertical shafts and flood tunnels for any clues that could lead them to the storied treasure.

Katya acknowledged that her primary area of metal detecting expertise lies in scouring beaches, which offers a different set of challenges from the terrain of Smith's Cove.

However, she said that her experiences in metal detecting with her father from the age of 7 adequately prepared her to adapt to these circumstances.

Ultimately, she was able to contribute to the team, as she spotted a piece of iron as they surveyed the area. Craig approved of the find and said that they would be sending the metal to one of the experts they work with, Emma Culligan, in order to learn more about it.

If they can gather any significant data from the iron that pertains to their search for the treasure, this could potentially lead them closer to finding where the treasure is potentially located. Furthermore, the team also spotted a wooden shaft as part of their hunt, which suggests that there were potential underground structures in the area. Maybe one where this mysterious bounty was originally buried?

You can catch new episodes of The Curse of Oak Island on the History channel, Tuesdays at 9 p.m.