Pioneers of scuba diving

When Ron and Valerie first started SCUBA diving the sport was its infancy. Their early dives were conducted with whatever gear they could find, borrow, cobble together or invent. Designed to offset natural human buoyancy during a dive, the first Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) wasn’t invented until the 1970s. Valerie says she didn’t wear one until required to by law.

On the flip side, the gear they did buy was quality. Valerie still wears some of her kit from the 1960s. While Ron wore dark wetsuits, Valerie invested in the most colourful wetsuits and sports suits she could find – all the better to be captured on film.

Metal plate with cord — Depth gauge used by Valerie Taylor.
*Australian National Maritime Collection. Gift from Ron and Valerie Taylor*

Valerie’s simple depth gauge

Blue fins — Cressi Rondine fins.
*Loan from Valerie Taylor*

Valerie’s blue Cressi Rondine fins

IST Diving Mask.
*Australian National Maritime Museum*

Vintage oval scuba mask

Off White tank — Oxygen cylinder converted into a scuba air tank.
*Australian National Maritime Collection. Gift from Ron and Valerie Taylor*

Ron’s first homemade scuba cylinder

Pink belt with orange weights — Weight belt.
*Loan from Valerie Taylor*

Valerie’s pink nylon weight belt and lead weights

Orange diver-propelled vehicle — Farallon DPV-MK III underwater scooter.
*Australian National Maritime Collection. Gift from Ron and Valerie Taylor*

Farallon DPV-MK III underwater scooter

‘I felt like a fish. I was very fond of it.’

Valerie Taylor

Explore Valerie's diver-propelled vehicle

Using the mouse you can orbit, drag and pan around the 3D Model.
Rotate - left click, single touch, arrow keys.
Zoom - scroll wheel, two finger pinch, '-' and '=' keys.
Move - right click, two finger move, WASD keys.
Recentre - Double click/double tap.

Find out more

Valerie Taylor: An Underwater Life