President Barack Obama and his family spent Saturday afternoon on the North Shore at childhood friend Bobby Titcomb’s annual holiday barbecue.
The Obamas regularly visit Titcomb’s beachside house near Waialua for a barbecue during their Hawaii vacations.
The Obamas’ presence resulted in the daylong closure of Skydive Hawaii at Dillingham Airfield across Farrington Highway, Hawaii News Now reported.
Owner Frank Hinshaw said Saturday’s weather was near-perfect for sky diving.
"We’d have 100 customers here," he said. "That’s about how many we canceled yesterday when we got news of the president’s trip out here."
Hinshaw estimates he lost $20,000 to $25,000 while his business was grounded. Still, he said he’s fortunate because Obama stays in Kailua, on the other side of the island, and comes to Mokuleia for just one day.
"Most VIP TFRs (temporary flight restrictions) would close everything within a 30-mile radius, so we’re happy," he said.
With flights grounded, Hinshaw and employees did some spring cleaning and painting.
The presidential visit also meant that people headed to Kaena Point had to make other plans, as police and the Secret Service turned back motorists at Mokuleia Beach Park.
The president’s motorcade took H-2 freeway past Schofield Barracks to get to the North Shore after leaving Kailua just after noon. As he left Kailua alongside the first lady, Obama sipped a soda while wearing an aloha shirt.
A handful of protesters greeted the president Saturday when he went to Marine Corps Base Hawaii for his usual morning workout. Their signs addressed a range of topics from Gaza to Guantanamo.
The president spent about 90 minutes at the gym, returning to his Kailua vacation home at 9:38 a.m.
Late Friday night, the president received an update from his health care team on the implementation of his signature federal health care overhaul, the White House said.
The president said officials should prioritize consumer flexibility and minimize disruptions for people switching plans, the White House said.
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The Associated Press contributed to this story.
