Text from The Fishing News 24/06/1951

Wyre Monitor Returns After 45-day Trip

The 19 members of the crew of the Fleetwood trawler Wyre Monitor (FD 304; 137 tons net; Wyre Steam Trawling Co., Ltd.), which arrived in Fleetwood on Sunday after spending 45 days on a fishing trip to the White Sea – the longest trip ever recorded at the port – will have a week’s rest before returning to sea.

Wyre Monitor left Fleetwood on January 5 for a three week voyage. Before fishing could begin she had to make for a Norewgian port for emergency repairs. Back at sea and almost at the fishing grounds, she developed a mysterious leak and raced to Vardo, Norway.

After two and a half days there it was found the repairs could not be undertaken., so with all pumps going and just keeping down the water which was entering her hull the trawler spent another 26 hours making Trondhjem Fjord, where it took nine days for the repairs to be completed.

Meanwhile, two members of the crew who had flu’, and were put ashore for a week in hospital, rejoined the crew.

More coal and food had to be bought before Wyre Monitor could return to the fishing grounds.

The the luck changed and good hauls of fish were made totalling 14,000 stone, including 1,200 stone of plaice, which was landed at Fleetwood fish market on Monday.

The catch made £4,400, an excellent catch normally, but with double the normal fishing time, double the wages, coal and food and other expenses, it will probably just clear the expenses of the trip. In addition, however, the Wyre Steam Trawling Co., Ltd., have the repair bills to meet.