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It’s just the tip of the iceberg for what professional cliff diver Molly Carlson can do.
Carlson made history when she dove off the top of an iceberg and into the Atlantic Ocean – becoming the first woman to accomplish the bone-chilling feat as she declared it was the “best day of my life.”
“This is definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever done,” Carlson said in a documentary posted to YouTube on Thursday with Red Bull.
The 28-year-old Canadian completed the nearly 50-foot dive on June 11 off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, after she was inspired by her experience with mental health challenges to push herself.
“For sure, the best day of my life,” she said as she cried tears of joy.
Carlson, who has become one of the premier divers on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series circuit, had trekked up the floating block of ice, before she gracefully plunged backwards into the water.
Carlson and her crew had chosen to jump off a free-floating iceberg they dubbed “No Name” off the coast of Twillingate near Newfoundland, Canada.
The historic island town has named itself the “Iceberg Capital of the World,” for all the floating blocks of ice that pass along the coast.
The team’s perfect block of ice had to have check off several boxes in order to be considered for a safe dive.
“It needs to have good boat access, a sheer edge to dive from, with a clear landing zone, and a climb that is actually doable for me without putting Will at risk,” Carlson says.
“If these boxes aren’t ticked, the dive wouldn’t be possible.”
The fearless diver and Gadd climbed up the side of the iceberg before Carlson stripped off her climbing gear down to the wetsuit and prepared to jump.
Carlson had undergone months of preparation to ready herself for the frozen fall.
She teamed up with professional ice climber Will Gadd, who taught her the basic techniques and tools she would need in order to climb the iceberg ahead of her jump.
The long-term planning was needed as every part of the death-defying stunt was dangerous.
“Icebergs are incredibly dangerous,” Carlson explained. “They can split, collapse or roll without warning.”
Gadd, described as the “captain of adventure,” specializes in ice climbing and free climbing, and had spent months training Carlson up to the roughly 65-meter climb she would need for her big jump.
“The biggest hazard is that icebergs can roll over,” he said. “When they roll over, it’s super violent.”
After becoming skilled in ice climbing, Carlson had to adapt to the frigid waters, practicing by wearing a wetsuit.
The wetsuit, a much different outfit than her normal diving bathing suit, provided protection from the near-freezing water, but Carlson said she felt the shock instantly.
The wetsuit, a much different outfit than her normal diving bathing suit, provided protection from the near-freezing water, but Carlson said she felt the shock instantly.
After surfacing, Carlson had to quickly swim away from the iceberg to safety before she could reflect on her achievement.
“You have hard days, you might be anxious, you might be scared, you might have so much fear. But at the end of the day, to show yourself that you can do really cool things is really special, so I’m really proud,” she said in her reflection.
After surfacing, Carlson had to quickly swim away from the iceberg to safety before she could reflect on her achievement.
“You have hard days, you might be anxious, you might be scared, you might have so much fear. But at the end of the day, to show yourself that you can do really cool things is really special, so I’m really proud,” she said in her reflection.