Patrick Dykstra may be the closest thing the world has to a sperm whale whisperer. As the subject of the Emmy-nominated documentary Patrick and the Whale, his life’s work has brought him into rare, intimate proximity with these gentle giants, earning trust, observing behaviour, and forging connections most people could never imagine.
A former New York lawyer who traded courtrooms for open oceans, Patrick now spends over 200 days a year in the water with whales across the globe. He’s not a scientist by title, but through immersion, intuition, and sheer time spent, he’s become an unofficial expert, able to read subtle shifts in whale behaviour and respond with respect.
Beyond film and guiding, Patrick has contributed to scientific research, helping tag and track sperm whales, document rare social behaviours, and support acoustic studies that shed light on their communication and deep-sea lives. These efforts are helping scientists understand what whales are doing in the 90% of their lives spent far below the surface, in places and at pressures most humans will never reach.
Patrick & Natural World Safaris
Patrick Dykstra now works with Natural World Safaris all over the globe, from the frigid fjords of Norway with its population of orcas and humpback whales to the tropical waters around Dominica, home to families of sperm whales. Patrick and his team work to get you in the right place at the right time to encounter incredible marine life. He will also offer guidance on how to use your underwater photography equipment to best capture these huge creatures on camera.
Patrick has visited more than 100 countries and filmed in some of the world’s harshest and most remote environments—from diving beneath Antarctic ice to flying over erupting volcanoes in the Congo. He is a certified rebreather scuba diver, wingsuit skydiver, and paraglider pilot, and brings that same spirit of adventure and respect to every wildlife encounter.
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