[Leica] CHRISTMAS WISHES!

[Ted Grant]

Hi again Howard,
Trust me, your heart is beating so fast, your mind is in a whirl as we were dropping, even in semi-controlled auto-rotation? Any thoughts of photo taking really didn't happen? Even after we were fortunately on the ice of the Arctic Ocean in one piece.
I  recall another thought I had? That was, at least I made it out of chopper and not trapped inside burning to death. Our very good fortune was the fire was enclosed inside the heating unit and not somewhere in the outer part of the aircraft.
Just another heart rattling daily adventure!
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-26-16 6:10 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] CHRISTMAS WISHES!

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


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus