HMCS Charlottetown is embarking on a potentially risky counter-terrorism mission in the Mediterranean, but the crew said it is well prepared if danger strikes.

The Canadian warship, carrying about 250 sailors and a CH-124 Sea King helicopter detachment, left the Halifax Harbour Sunday morning on a six-month counter-terrorism mission.

HMCS Charlottetown will patrol the Mediterranean Sea, which borders some volatile countries, including Tunisia, Egypt and Syria as part of NATO's Operation Active Endeavour, an anti-terrorism operation that was launched in October 2001 in response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Those areas embroiled in political upheaval could spell potential trouble for the Canadians, but Cmdr. Wade Carter said the crew is trained to react to attacks or intervene in a crisis if necessary.

"We'll be patrolling the Mediterranean looking for weapons of mass destruction or constituents that could be used to design such things," Carter told CTV News.

However, Carter said he and his crew have been given no specific mission related to any nation.

The Charlottetown will not be stationed in any one area. It will patrol the Mediterranean Sea, replacing HMCS Vancouver, which has been in the region since last summer.

NATO ships will be tracking and boarding vessels suspected of terrorism involvement.

HMCS Charlottetown's departure was emotional, with hundreds of family members and friends gathered at the Halifax waterfront to say goodbye.

Sub-lieutenant Eric Melady's fiancée Mary didn't want to wait six months to marry him. So the couple got hitched on a whim Saturday.

"We weren't sure if they'd fly him home or what that would entail," Mary Melady told CTV News.

"While he was out sailing, I emailed him and asked if he'd like to get married on Saturday," she said with a laugh.

Eric Melady said he was "a bit taken aback," but didn't need to think twice about the impromptu wedding.

Last June, a different HMCS Charlottetown crew came under fire in the Mediterranean while on a NATO-led mission to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. About 12 rockets were launched from shore, but the warship wasn't hit.

That crew returned home in September.

Canada plans to keep at least one warship deployed in the Mediterranean Sea throughout 2012.