Whyte makes his home in the Pacific Northwest, where rain and changeable skies remind him of the other, more distant homes from which he comes: Yorkshire, Wales and Ireland. He travels and lectures throughout the world, bringing his own and others' poetry to large audiences. He holds a degree in Marine Zoology, and is the recipient of honorary degrees from Neumann College and Royal Roads University. He is the author of eleven books of poetry and four books of prose, as well as a collection of audio recordings.