Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/12/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Ted, I hope you had a Super Christmas with family and friends. Here's to a Great New Year, and Many, Many more. Gene & Chris On Mon, Dec 26, 2016 at 8:09 AM, Howard L Ritter Jr <hlritter at twc.com> wrote: > That?s a great story, Ted! I guess the LUG will give you a pass on not > posting photos of the event. Once survival had been assured, it must have > been very annoying that despite being in the midst of a heart-stopping > drama, you were too occupied in helping to ASSURE that survival to have > been able to document it. > > Hmmm?are you looking for someone to help you write your autobiography? > Selling a few hundred copies to the LUG would be just the start, I?m sure! > > Happy Boxing Day! (Or is that tomorrow, and today a holiday in the Great > White North as it is here in the sunny south?) > > ?howard > > > > On Dec 24, 2016, at 7:10 PM, Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote: > > > > Hi Howard, > > As we were plunging toward the ice, pilot attempting every flying trick > he knew. He yelled at me to grab the fire extinguisher and when we landed > to jump out, run around to the other side of the chopper, open engine > compartment door and start pumping the fire extinguisher as quickly as > possible at any fire. > > Now I'm kneeling on the floor, camera in one hand, fire ext. in the > other when I realized God made an error and only gave us two hands and > arms? :-( So something had to be modified given I had camera in one hand, > fire extinguisher in the other? And I'm a normal human being with two > hands. So how was I going to open the door to get out quickly? > > The first and only time I ever put a camera down with the potential for > exciting photos. Wham!!! we hit and as I already had my hand on the door > handle it popped open and I'm out like a rocket to the opposite side of the > chopper, Rotor blades going swishie-swishie over my head as I dashed around > to the opposite side. Pilot has his door open with smoke billowing out. I > grab handle, pop door open going to be hero of the day? Pilot screams at > me' "THAT'S THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT"!!!!!!!!! OOOPPPSSSS!! :-) > > Then I grabbed the correct handle and opened to a big poof of smoke! > Mean while rotor blades still swishing just above my head! Seemed like they > were getting closer?????? > > As it turned out it was a fire within the heating unit. So we had it out > pretty quick. However we then had more than 2 hour flight "without heat" to > the nearest directional DECCA stn. Where we would be able to have plane > servicing. > > Sorry no pictures of all this as you can imagine I had my hands full > with survival things. :-) Sure had a fast beating heart though! :-) > > cheers, > > ted > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+tedgrant=shaw.ca at leica-users.org] On > Behalf Of Howard L Ritter Jr > > Sent: December-24-16 3:28 PM > > To: Leica Users Group > > Subject: Re: [Leica] CHRISTMAS WISHES! > > > > Well, the Great Spirit, who must know by now to keep you on a short > leash, is obviously much with you, Dr Ted, and for that we are all thankful > as well! > > > > A blessed Merry Christmas to you and the same year-end sentiments to all > LUGgers. > > > > ?howard > > > > P.S. Sure would like to hear more about that helicopter plunging toward > the Arctic ice?and to see the photos that the Dr Ted we know would have > gotten. If his equipment survived (Leica? I?ll bet it did!). > > > > > >> On Dec 24, 2016, at 6:04 PM, Ted Grant <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote: > >> > >> MY CHRISMAS 2016 WISHES TO THE CREW! J > >> > >> I wish you all the most exciting moments you can possibly enjoy while > >> opening a gift from a friend or your caring LOVING FAMILY! J > >> > >> I realize the CREW is made up of a number of varying religions. So be > it. > >> > >> May I suggest for a "tiny moment" if you possibly can? Here's my "Great > >> Spirit" that has brought/got me this far? > >> > >> "The GREAT SPIRIT?" In reality, each and everyone of us has a "GREAT > >> SPIRIT". Each religion has a different name for "HE? or SHE?" > >> > >> Maybe you aren't involved in a religion? > >> > >> BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT? Out there somewhere there is a "Great Spirit" that > >> looks after you just as you "click?" The shutter assisting you to > capture a > >> magical moment. > >> > >> Now don't get all "TTTTTTing" J > >> > >> Nor get all anti-religion as this has nothing to do with religion? > "WELL AS > >> FAR AS I'M CONCERNED!" > >> > >> My "GREAT SPIRIT" has pretty well always been on my shoulder saving my > ass > >> during a few of the following! > >> > >> 1/ Crashing in a Sprint car during a race on a half mile dirt track! > Flipped > >> upside down and destroyed! The car was a write off. Me? Stitches in > face and > >> head! > >> > >> 2/ Crashing in a Stock Car then crashed into while I'm upside down > hanging > >> on my seat belt!" four other cars into me destroying my car! > >> > >> 3/ In the high arctic on assignment the helicopter filled with smoke > and we > >> are hundreds of miles from base camp falling toward the arctic ocean > frozen > >> ice at 50 below zero. OOPS!JWalked away! Damn cold > >> > >> 4/A ski equipped twin Otter plane bad landing on Arctic ice, breaking a > wing > >> and strut off. Rather bumpy one might say! L > >> > >> 5/ Survived two war assignments.. 1967 Mideast and a short time in > Vietnam > >> 1968. > >> > >> 6/ While in the center field shooting at car race and wheel came off > car, > >> hit & FLIPPED me and cameras into the sky! OH YEA that hurt! I was by > >> ambulance to hospital! but I survived! > >> > >> That merely touches the 65 years as a photojournalist hopping about the > >> world! That's because my "GREAT SPIRIT" has been on my shoulder all > those > >> years! > >> > >> So there you go a bit about my "GREAT SPIRIT!"J > >> > >> HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS DAY & a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017! > >> > >> CHEERS, > >> > >> Dr. Ted Grant C.M. O.C. > >> > >> > >> > >> --- > >> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > >> https://www.avast.com/antivirus > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Leica Users Group. > >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > --- > > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > > https://www.avast.com/antivirus > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >