Obama enjoys body surfing in Hawaii

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HONOLULU, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama enjoyed some body-surfing during a vacation in Hawaii, where he spent much of his childhood.

While Obama's vacation has been something of a return to his roots, there are some big differences. He has been traveling from place to place by motorcade with Secret Service agents constantly on guard, the Honolulu Advertiser reported Friday.

At Sandy Beach, the agents checked with lifeguards to make sure conditions were safe for the Illinois senator and requested a personal lifeguard to accompany him in the water. Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for Honolulu Emergency Services, quoted the lifeguard, Peter Irwin, as saying Obama "obviously knew what he was doing in the water" while he was surfing Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Obama visited Halona Blowhole, where he scattered flowers at the spot where his mother's ashes were scattered. He was joined by two old friends from his school days.

In the afternoon, once again with the Secret Service in tow, Obama took his older daughter, Malia, to the U.S.S. Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor.