Verna started diving in 1989 in her University Diving Club – Wits Underwater Club (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa).
Here she met multiple time Guinnes Record Holder, Nuno Gomes (Deepest Scuba Dive twice, Deepest Cave and Altitude Dives)
She became part of Nuno’s world record support team and in 2001 started her own team to attempt her own world record.
In 2001 she set a record dive to 186 meters at Boesmansgat (Northen Cape, South Afica) and in 2004, set the Guiness World Record with her dive to 221 meters. This held until 2023.
Verna’s World Record in 2004 placed her in the top 5 all time deepest dives and was also a world record for the deepest dive in a cave and at altitude.
Her diving experience is predominantly deep cave, altitude diving. Verna was a key member of Dave Shaw’s now infamous dive in January 2005 to recover Deon Dreyer from the bottom of Boesmansgat. On this expedition she was the surface marshal, responsible for co-ordinating the support divers and subsequent rescue of deep diver, Don Shirley.
Her journey from recreational diving to world record holder provides the foundation for her Explorer’s Compass methodology.