"Auk" spent over 95 days on the minefields in the often "dirty" weather associated with the North Sea as they carried out their unprecedented mission of clearing the sea lanes to permit a resumption of civilian commerce in the wake of World War I.Underway from Kirkwall at 0600 on 10 May, "Auk" took "SC-46" in tow and proceeded to the minefields in company with "Oriole", "Heron", and "Sanderling", each in turn towing a chaser.