The steam trawler Daily Mail (FD100) was built to the order of the Boston Deep Sea Fishing & Ice Company of Fleetwood. She was built by the Smiths Dockyard Company Ltd, North Shields (Yard No 915), and launched in April 1930. Her dimensions were 141.7′ x 25.5′ x 13.6′, with a gross tonnage of 386t. The ship was powered by a triple expansion steam engine also built by Smiths Dockyard. The ships official number was 162062.
The Daily Mail
The newly built steam trawler the Daily Mail was returning to her home port of Fleetwood with a hold full of fish when she ran aground in thick fog on Crammag Head. The accident happened just before midnight on Sunday 10 May 1931 and fortunately the vessel remained fast on the rocks.
Unsure of their exact location and the extent of the damage the skipper, Albert Heywood immediately ordered an SOS to be sent. Their call was answered by another Fleetwood trawler the Tranquil, which came to her assistance and rescued the 14 crew from the Daily Mail. Before abandoning the stricken vessel the skipper went below to try and determine the full extent of any damage, which confirmed that many of the compartments were awash. The Tranquil stayed close by until first light, by which time the Daily Mail had floated off the rocks and drifted north, eventually going aground on the north shore of Barncorkie Bay (aka Portencorkie Bay).
A salvage officer was summoned and on inspection found the vessel listing to port, and sitting on large boulders in around 3 metres, parallel to the shore. The condition of the wreck was considered to be salvable and on 16 May the salvage vessel Trover along with a team of divers were on site. Salvage work continued for the next week and the vessel was successfully moved on the 22 May in preparation to repair the most damaged section of the hull, the port bilge. However, a patch of bad weather over the following week caused further damage to the rudder and the propshaft, the boiler and engine were also noted as being ‘set up’. A further inspection on the 29 May confirmed that it was no longer economically viable to re-float the Daily Mail and the salvage team returned to Liverpool.
The Trover tied alongside the Daily Mail
The remains of the Daily Mail lie in 2.5-4 metres of water on the north side of the bay in position 54° 40.609’N 04° 57.941’W (GPS). The debris lies between large rocks and boulders, little remains that is recognisable.
