Ann Daniels is a record-breaking polar explorer.
She is the first woman in history, along with teammate Caroline Hamilton, to reach the North Pole and the South Pole as members of all-women teams.
Ann is among the very few people in the world who have walked to both the North and South Geographical poles.
Ann’s polar expedition career started in 1996. Although she had no previous outdoor experience and was a mother of 18-month-old triplets, she beat off over 200 other women on a tough Dartmoor selection weekend to join the first team of the McVities Penguin Polar Relay.
Ann has led three major scientific expeditions on the Arctic Ocean working with scientists to understand better the problems facing the fragile Arctic Ocean.
Her achievements have been recognised and awarded by many, including:
- The Guinness Book of Records
- The Pride of Britain Awards
- The Women of the Year Awards
Furthermore, Ann has earned the Freedom of Yeovil Town and has received an honorary degree from Exeter University.
“Ann is living proof that humans really can reach new peaks.”
The Times
Motivational Speaker
Ann Daniels is a leader of men and women at the ends of the world. She provides motivational speeches on topics including:
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Motivation
- Climate Change
- Resilience
Ann tailors every speech to her audience, bringing out the key elements that are important to the event.
As an inspirational speaker, her warmth and honesty, coupled with her positivity, grit, and determination, ensure compelling presentations.
“one of the top 20 Great British Adventurers of all time.”
The Daily Telegraph
Ann Daniels Polar Explorer – Expeditions include:
2000
Along with four other women, Ann was a member of the first British female team to reach the South Pole on foot. They pulled sledges weighing over 140 lbs and navigated by the sun. They travelled 700 miles across Antarctica, the most inhospitable continent in the world.
2002
Ann organised the first all-female team in the world to ski to both poles. Temperatures as low as -50º severely hampered progress and success looked doubtful from the start. They were hit by three storms so severe they were unable to erect their tent. They had to huddle together for three days surviving with little food and water. The team suffered frostbite, back problems and carbon monoxide poisoning. After 47 days, one of the team was evacuated. Despite these setbacks, Ann and her fellow teammate achieved their goal and reached the pole triumphantly.
2004
Polar Guide Ann Daniels led ‘the last degree expedition’ to the North Pole, where 15 captains of industry made a 60-mile journey across the sea ice to reach the North Pole safely.
2005
Ann completed a solo expedition across the Arctic sea ice from the Russian pack ice. She spent 21 days on the ice on her own. Furthermore, she had encounters with five polar bears during the 124-mile journey across the moving Arctic Ocean.
2009
Ann was navigator, pathfinder and head of ice operations for the Catlin Arctic survey. Her team, which included Pen Hadow and Martin Hartley, manually measured the thickness of the ice covering the Arctic Ocean. Ann led the team from the front for 74 days over a 233-mile transect.
2010
Ann was the team leader of the second Catlin Arctic survey. They reached the North Pole after 60 days and 270 miles. After long days’ sledge hauling, the team hand drilled the ice up to 5 metres thick to collect water samples to assist scientists better understand the effects of Carbon Dioxide on the Arctic Ocean.
2011
As the only remaining original team member, Ann, together with Tyler Fish, led a four-person team on the final Catlin Arctic survey. It was the most ambitious of Catlin’s expeditions. Accompanied by a cameraman and a scientist, not only did they measure the thickness of the sea ice, they studied the thermohaline circulation of the Ocean.
2017 and 2018
In 2017 and 2018 in collaboration with NASA, NOAA, ESA, Ann took part in an expedition to ski the last 2 degrees to the North Pole. Once again, the team were collecting vital data to help scientists better understand the effect climate change is having on the Arctic Ocean. The team’s mission was to insert tracking buoys to monitor the movement of the disappearing ice near the North Pole. As a result, this enabled NASA to monitor ice movement in the Arctic during the long summer melt.
Along with Polar Adventurer Alan Chambers, Ann Daniels is a team member of a future expedition to finish Ernest Shackleton’s trek across Antarctica.
