US President Barack Obama and his family have gone on a weekend trip to Florida aimed at showing support for tourism in a region still struggling due to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The First Family spent two days at Panama City Beach, with Obama and Sasha taking a dip in the Gulf of Mexico waters to reassure travelers that tourist havens remain pristine despite the massive spill.
On an overcast Sunday morning, Obama, his wife, Michelle, and Sasha -- elder daughter Malia is away at summer camp -- took a ride in a converted 50-foot (15-meter) Navy Launch called the "Bay Point Lady" around St. Andrews Bay, fronting Panama City.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
At one point the Obamas leaned against a metal railing at the ship's bow and saw a porpoise breaking the water a few yards from the boat.
After the boat ride, the Obamas headed for Air Force 1 for their flight back home, stopping at an ice cream stand along the way to indulge in large cups of ice cream -- the president's was mint chocolate chip.
Obama on Saturday told local officials and business leaders that "oil is no longer flowing into the Gulf... But I'm here to tell you that our job is not finished, and we are not going anywhere until it is."
During the height of the spill, which began after a BP-leased rig explosion on April 20 and ended with a cap on the well in mid-July, Obama urged his fellow Americans to continue taking vacations in the region, famous for its sugar-white beaches, and heavily dependent on tourism.
The Obama's trip to Florida comes after US officials announced that energy giant BP's runaway well has been sealed, and that they are moving ahead with plans to make sure it's truly "killed" by pumping cement in through a relief well under the Gulf of Mexico.
The First Family is scheduled to vacation this month in Martha's Vineyard, a posh resort island off Massachusetts in the US northeast.
