Former President Barack Obama and his family were seen enjoying some fun in the water this weekend after heading back to Hawaii for their annual Christmas trip.
The 60-year-old 44th president was pictured donning black swim trunks on Saturday as he went for a dip in the Pacific Ocean, and was snapped squinting in the sun as he left his sunglasses behind.
The day before, his daughters, Sasha, 20, and Malia, 23, were also caught on camera as they went out on the water on stand-up paddle boards, each wearing a bikini for the beach day.
Obama, who was born in Hawaii, has visited the state with his family during Christmas for decades.
In 2016, he sang the state’s praises to National Geographic, telling the publication: ‘People always ask, why do I stay calm in the midst of a lot of crazy stuff going on. Well, I always tell folks part of it’s being born in Hawaii and knowing what it’s like to jump into the ocean and understanding what it means when you see a sea turtle in the face of a wave.’
It’s unknown whether he saw any sea turtles on Saturday, but he did seem to enjoy the water as he ventured out on his own.
Photos show him wading in to his waist, then crouching to submerge the rest of his body, up to his shoulders, in the ocean water.
Obama left his shades on the shore and squinted in the bright sun during his solo swim.
On Friday, it was his daughters’ turn to catch some waves, and both Malia and Sasha headed out on the water together, each on her own stand-up paddle board.
Sasha, who is currently on winter break from the University of Michigan, wore a red string bikini that she accessorized with a statement necklace.
She rowed out with her sister, and was pictured laying flat on her back on the board, seemingly enjoying the warmth.
Meanwhile, Malia — who graduated from Harvard University this spring — may be taking some vacation time from work for the family trip.
Earlier this year, The Hollywood Reporter reported that she has scored a position on the writing staff of a new Amazon project by Donald Glover.
She was pictured on Friday also attired for the water, wearing a pink and white tie-dye bikini top and white athletic shorts.
She wore her hair tied to the side, and blocked out some some with a white and neon green trucker hat bearing the letters BAB.
Former first lady Michelle was nowhere in sight, but has been known to join her husband for water sports like kayaking.
Earlier today, she stressed ‘how important it is to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and get a booster, too’ and released a video on the topic in which she stars alongside the mothers of celebrities like Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Zendaya, and Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein.
Obama also typically gets in a few rounds of gold while on vacation, and last Christmas was spotted at the Mid-Pacific Country Club on several occasions.
It’s unclear where, exactly, the Obamas are staying this year, though in the past they were known to stay at Paradise Point Estates, which they visited every year from 2008 to 2011 — giving it the nickname ‘The Winter White House.’
The private home has five bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, the extra space likely necessary during Obama’s White House years due to his Secret Service detail.
The house is available for anyone to rent for $3,500 per night and has a lagoon-style pool, waterfalls, a spa pool, an outdoor wet bar, a master suite with therapeutic bath and steam shower, a kitchen with high-tech gadgets like a sub-zero refrigerator and freezer, and a fitness center.
The estate’s manager, Glenn Weinberg, told Business Insider that Obama once wrote in the guestbook: ‘My family and staff have grown very fond of our time at your home, and your generosity is much appreciated.’
