Buena Vista Pool Re-Revisited

When I was back in Santa Cruz in late September, I had a late night “top secret” call that the legendary Buena Vista pool was dug out again and was off limits until they were running a permission contest on the land, agreed by the owner because he heard he could make some money from this event, and then he would fill ‘er in the next day – forever.

buena1

If the pool got blown out before the contest the following weekend the event would be OFF! So supposedly there were guys camping out, guarding the pool so no one would be skating. Nothing was further from the truth as I found out the next day when I showed up to no less than 15 guys skating the pool during the 3 hour session. There would be other blowout sessions daily with sightings of legendary pool skaters and every old school Santa Cruz skater whom all had a story I’m sure about Buena in decades past when they scored it the few days or weeks the pool had been dug out.

Jesse Gullings. Smith grinding the corner.
Jesse Gullings. Smith grinding the corner.

I have been lucky enough to experience 3 of these dig outs since 1991, and this last dig out, coinciding with my two weeks back in Santa Cruz was nothing less than chance. Unfortunately I only made it out there once during my Santa Cruz return, but at least I showed up during a heated session. This video and photos are from one 3 hour session, on September 25th, 2009. Video + photos featuring: OG Buena Skaters Jesse Gullings + Erol, a kid from Ben Lomond with the afro who’s name I don’t know, up and coming street/transition ripper Tommy Werner, and notorious pool/bowl shredder Josh Mattson.

Photos + Video by J.Hay

Josh Mattson blasting a corner air.
Josh Mattson blasting a corner air.
Nose pick
Ben Lomond kid. Nose pick
Jesse Gullings, backside ollie.
Jesse Gullings, backside ollie.
Josh Mattson, Lipslide 'n Roll
Josh Mattson, Lipslide ‘n Roll
Tommy Werner, ollie.
Tommy Werner, ollie.
Josh Mattson. Hurricane Grind
Josh Mattson. Hurricane Grind
Buena Vista dig out, 2002
Buena Vista dig out, 2002

And then there was the contest….

Filmed/Edited by: Skim Shady
 

7 thoughts on “Buena Vista Pool Re-Revisited”

  1. Why does he paint every dicks and boobs? But not the rest?
    Religiously incorrect? or does he think he would be censured on MTV? Hardcore foolishness.

  2. The picture of the three skaters digging out Buena captioned “Buena Vista 2004” was not 2004 it was around May 28, 2002, or so, Damon is pulling the wheelbarrow by a small rope attached to the front wheel.The ramp the skaters are using to take the dirt out,(not in the photo)was in the shallow end,witch Adam help build.

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