Expedition Leader Shirley Metz

Shirley Metz’s careers and accomplishments have spanned the globe. Shirley became a certified diver at age 16 and while at the University of Hawaii did shark research earning her degrees in Oceanography and Communications. She met her first husband in Hawaii with whom she founded Hobie Sports. She also developed several active clothing lines and consulted to companies such as The North Face.

In 1988 Shirley visited Antarctica and became inspired to work in Antarctic conservation. To raise awareness, Shirley became a member of an international expedition that would attempt to ski 800 miles from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole. On January 17, 1989, the nine-member expedition arrived at world’s end; Shirley made history and her way into the Guinness Book of Records as the first woman to ski overland to the South Pole. A member of the Explorers Club and The Society of Woman Geographers, Shirley continues to raise awareness and support for environmental and cultural projects.