Canadian anti-whaling activist Paul Watson is a pirate, a terrorist, a saint, an environmental crusader, a fugitive from justice or just a very naughty boy.
It all depends on whom you ask.
So let's go to the man himself.
I put the question directly to Watson as the Toronto-born captain sat on the bridge of the ship, MY Steve Irwin, deep in the wilds of the Southern Ocean and around 3,000 nautical miles from the nearest port.
"Well, I might play the part of pirate for the media if that helps," Watson said, his voice a crackling echo over a satellite telephone link.
"Seriously though, come on, there is no parrot on my shoulder. No wooden leg. I have always acted for one reason and that is to protect whales from human predators like Japanese whalers.
"It does seem to raise the ire of some people ... well, OK, lots of people actually, but what can I say. Somebody has to act to stop the bloody whale slaughter."
There is certainly no shortage of people offended by either his actions or his methods.
