Esbern Snare - off home, USNS Grapple-going where

1. Esbern Snare sets out from the Dockyard. Passing downtown Halifax its various antenna stand out against the office buildings.

2. The ship's double hangar, stern doors and side ports are more visible from astern. Interesting wake pattern. 

Among the naval ships arriving yesterday, along with HMCS Preserver and HMCS Iroquois, was the Danish Absalon class Flexible Support Ship Esbern Snare. It was built in the period 2002-2004, commissioned in 2005, but was not fully operational until 2008 [you think the Canadian navy is slow?]
As a support ship, it can accommodate troops, landing craft and helicopters. It sailed for Denmark this morning.
Also with the group was the USNS Grapple a salvage tug, which sailed yesterday, giving its destination as Longue Pointe Mingan, QC.  The well known whale watching and ecological area seems an odd destination for such a ship. The location of a couple of unarmed atomic bombs dropped by the USAF in the 1950s is some distance from there, but perhaps there are more we don't know about. 

3. Grapple has heavy lifting gear to recover stuff from the sea floor-among other duties.