[El Cid]

Some people claim that the video shows him to be a weak swimmer, but from what I saw he looked 'good enough'. Certainly good enough to get to shore (given that the water is calm as claimed), or at least to his paddle board.
Be that as it may, my speculation is that he hit his head on the board when he fell, and became unconscious, or disoriented - neither of which are good when you are in the water. The bizzaro part, and what feeds the conspiracy, is that the local reports have been clearly covering up various details. Who was he with? Who called?
Speculative scenario (all invited because the 'authorities' are covering up basic info): the chef was paddle boarding with one of Obama's daughters. Chef fell off the board, and hit is head on the board. The daughter who was on the other paddle board didn't see the chef fall, but when she turned around he was gone (underneath the water), and she was the one who made the phone call.

Nothing nefarious, just a tragic accident. But why not go with this story? Was something else going on? Why hiding the name of the fellow paddle boarder? That's the strange part of event - and the silence just invites questions and speculations.

[CaptainK]

Who starts to learn how to swim after they are 40 year’s old?

Was he staying at the Obama home while the Obama’s weren’t there? He has a wife, wonder why there is no mention of her whereabouts.

[mass55th]

"my speculation is that he hit his head on the board when he fell, and became unconscious, or disoriented..."

Initial report was that the other paddle boarder saw him come up, and then go back under.

[OldWarBaby]

It’s been over a half century since paddle boards were made out of solid wood. Paddle boards and surfboards are made out of Styrofoam shapes wrapped in a sheet of fiberglass. There is nothing dense or hard about a board unless maybe somebody bolted an accessory anvil to it. And they dent easily, One would have to do a serious wind-up to hurt ones self with a board. I did know a guy who got hit in the cheek with the pointy nose of a board and needed some repairs. A paddle board most likely doesn’t even have a skeg so there simply aren’t even any rigid edges to get hit with.

So I’m throwing the BS flag on the notion that a guy was fatally wounded/knocked out with a paddle board. Flat water, No surf, no speed involved, nothing.

[spacejunkie2001]

someone just posted a pic on TS of odumbo with the fingers on his right hand bandaged.....hmmmmmm