Nomans Land Island is a small, uninhabited island located approximately three miles south of Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts. Today it functions as a National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but its recent history as a U.S. military bombing range means the island — and potentially the waters surrounding it — may still contain unexploded ordnance, making it effectively off-limits to casual visitors. The island is believed to be roughly 628 acres in area, though precise figures should be verified against current official sources. What draws investigators here is a large stone bearing what appear to be runic inscriptions, photographed on the island's remote shoreline in the 1920s and 1930s, which has since been submerged by rising seas and coastal erosion. Gates joined stonemason brothers Jim and Bill Vieira to dive the waters off Nomans Land in search of this stone, which — if genuine — could represent one of the most significant pieces of physical evidence for pre-Columbian Norse contact with North America.
According to the inscription on the photographed runic stone, Leif Erikson or Norse explorers may have been present in the area — though this date and attribution remain unverified and contested
The original property owner reportedly discovered a large stone bearing apparent runic letters on a remote section of beach; the stone was photographed multiple times in the early 20th century
Nomans Land Island was repurposed as a U.S. military bombing and testing range, rendering it inaccessible and leaving unexploded ordnance on and around the island
The island was designated a National Wildlife Refuge; the runic stone is believed to have been submerged by rising seas and erosion sometime after the mid-century military era
Gates investigates the site with Jim and Bill Vieira during Expedition Unknown Season 4, Episode 2, "Vikings in America"
The runic stone photographed at Nomans Land in the 1920s and 1930s sits within a long and deeply contested tradition of claimed Norse inscriptions in North America. Mainstream archaeology holds that the only firmly established Norse settlement in North America is L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada, dating to around 1000 CE and excavated by Helge and Anne Stine Ingstad in the 1960s. That site provides robust, peer-reviewed archaeological evidence for Norse presence. Every other claimed runic inscription or artifact in North America — from the Kensington Runestone in Minnesota to various New England markings — has faced serious scholarly skepticism, with most experts concluding they are either misidentified natural markings or post-Columbian fabrications.
The Nomans Land stone has not, to this writer's knowledge, been the subject of a published peer-reviewed analysis, in part because its current location is unknown and the island itself remains largely inaccessible. The detail Jim Vieira raised with Gates — that the name is spelled with "I's" rather than an "E," consistent with the runic alphabet — is an interesting philological point, but without physical access to the stone for materials analysis, epigraphy, and stratigraphic context, it cannot be used to confirm authenticity. Runic enthusiasts and amateur historians have long pointed to New England's coastline as a plausible area of Norse exploration beyond Vinland, but this hypothesis remains speculative in mainstream academic circles.
What the Expedition Unknown episode genuinely contributes is drawing renewed public attention to a piece of physical evidence — or alleged evidence — that has been sitting largely forgotten, and now submerged, off the coast of Massachusetts for nearly a century. Gates frames the question honestly: "If this is real, it's history-changing," while leaving the verdict open. The episode does not claim the stone was found during the dive, and the transcript evidence available does not confirm a discovery. The search itself, conducted in waters that may contain unexploded military ordnance, underscores just how difficult it may be to ever subject this stone to proper scientific scrutiny.
The island's name 'Nomans Land' is believed to predate English colonization, though its exact origin is debated — it may derive from a Wampanoag name or simply reflect the island's long history of being uninhabited.
The U.S. Navy used Nomans Land as a live-fire bombing and testing range for decades during and after World War II, and the island is still considered potentially hazardous due to unexploded ordnance on and around it.
Jim Vieira noted to Gates on camera that the alleged runic inscription spells 'Leif Erikson' using only the letter 'I' — a detail he argues is consistent with the historical runic alphabet, which lacked the letter 'E.'
The stone was reportedly photographed multiple times in the 1920s and 1930s but has not been physically examined by researchers since, as rising seas and coastal erosion are believed to have submerged it sometime in the intervening decades.
Nomans Land Island is not open to the general public and access is strongly discouraged due to unexploded ordnance remaining from its former use as a military bombing range. The island is managed as a National Wildlife Refuge, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service generally restricts entry; prospective visitors should check current regulations and advisories directly with the agency before making any plans. Viewing the island from the water at a safe distance may be possible by private boat from Martha's Vineyard, though water conditions in this area can be challenging.
Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts — approximately 5 miles to the north; the island is accessible only by boat from the Vineyard or the mainland.
If observing from the water, late spring through early fall generally offers calmer sea conditions off Martha's Vineyard, though weather in this area can change quickly. Summer months bring the most predictable boating weather but also the most vessel traffic in the surrounding waters.
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is another site where Gates investigates a famous American mystery involving a lost or vanished population, touching on questions of who was truly present in early North America.
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain has been investigated by Gates in connection with historical legends and submerged or hidden artifacts, sharing the theme of underwater search and elusive physical evidence.
Neahkahnie Mountain
Neahkahnie Mountain is a Pacific Northwest site Gates investigated for evidence of pre-Columbian or early contact-era visitors to North America, paralleling the Norse contact question at Nomans Land.