Hal Watts

Hal Watts passed away on December 7, 2024. Hal was known for his deep air diving records to 119 meters/390 feet in the ocean and 127 meters/415 feet in a cave and for starting the Professional Scuba Association International (PSAI)

I served as the training director for PSAI in the Americas from 2011 - 2016.

One DEMA show, two beautiful young women walked by the PSAI booth. Hal said hello to them as they passed us. They each replied with a quick, courtesy hi, and proceeded on their way. I forget Hal's exact words, but he said something to the effect, "Ladies, you're barely giving me the time of day. That wounds me. Back when I was a young man, you would have stopped to have a conversation." They did. They came over to the booth, and he had them charmed. He still had game in his 80s. He was both a legend and a character.

R.I.P Mr. Scuba

I always enjoyed my trips to the Grotto, and he would always look me up, even on the busiest day, and just ask me how I was doing.

When I came back to diving after a break, the grotto was one of the sites I was sad about no longer being available to dive in.


Hal gave a nice talk last year at DEMA about Sheck. My experiences with him were always positive.

I had the pleasure of meeting Hal for the first time only a few months ago. He came to Bill Foote's retirement party and the grand opening of Ocala dive with new owners event. He chatted a great links with me and was a very down-to-earth guy. He was one of the last ones to leave. Turned out he only lived just a few miles from me. I will always fondly remember him. I'm sure he's now diving to new depths in heaven. RIP Hal.

I spent a lot of time at the Grotto back in the early 90's. I don't know how many classes I taught there, but it was a lot. Got to know Hal quite well during those years. Always enjoyed his stories. One day at the Grotto, Hal asked me if I knew where the cave entrance was. I didn't even know there was a cave down in the Grotto and I thought I knew the terrain really well. On that day, Eric Hutchinson ( name from the past ) was there so Hal allowed Eric to show me the cave. For those of you who dove the Grotto more than once or twice, yes there is a small cave there. I only made a couple of dives in the cave so I have no idea how big or long it was. Good memories from the past. Hal will be missed.

Many fond memories of diving at 40 Fathom and talking with Hal before and after dives. And his on-going joke about trash cans not always being readily available, meaning he preferred you took your trash with you. He told me his parents had initially wanted him to be a lawyer in his home state of Georgia, but SCUBA and Florida got him first. And of course, we talked about his theories on helping control narcosis, which I practiced at the Grotto at times. I'll certainly miss Hal and I miss diving at the Grotto....