- All
- About Verna
- Is this for me ?
- The Explorers Compass
- The Podcast - Powered by Exploration
- What is Verna's World Record ?
“Powered by Exploration” is Verna’s podcast where she shares insights, strategies, and stories about how to apply the Explorer’s Compass to overcome challenges and achieve extraordinary results. The podcast features Verna’s experiences and practical wisdom for listeners facing their own obstacles.
The Explorer’s Compass is unique because it’s derived from real-world extreme achievement rather than theory. It recognizes that discomfort is part of growth and focuses on practical action steps rather than just mindset shifts. It’s been tested in life-and-death situations and translated to everyday challenges (a little dramatic, but none the less true)
The Explorer’s Compass helps you navigate through stuck points and barriers in your life by providing a framework to: identify where you want to go, start from where you are, make peace with discomfort, explore possibilities, and take aligned action. This methodology works for personal challenges, career obstacles, or creative blocks.
I am just a normal person and have no intention of doing anything as extreme as a Guinness World Record dive, so is this still for me ?
The answer is yes!!
Exploration happens on any level. The definition is that YOU are doing something for the first time.
Whether this is learning a new sport, taking up a new hobby or taking on a new work challenge, any time you find yourself out of your comfort zone, you are stepping into your explorer self
The Explorer’s Compass is a framework developed by Verna based on her experience setting a world record dive. It consists of four cardinal points: Further (build a bridge that keeps you moving and connects here to there), Present (your starting point), Peace (embracing the process and discomfort), and Possibility (finding alternative paths). At the center is Act – the principle that exploration requires taking action.
This framework is derived from key moments in her journey to a world record and is a framework she uses whenever she is stepping out of her comfort zone and learning (her current adventure is sailing, solo).
For more on the Explorer’s Compass, to here
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.
Verna van Schaik is a Guinness World Record holder for the deepest scuba dive by a woman (221 meters). She has transformed her experience as an explorer into a methodology that helps people break through barriers, overcome obstacles, and achieve what seems impossible in their personal and professional lives.
In her professional life, Verna works in Software Development, supporting teams in building optimal delivery capability.