‘Struggles are hidden like icebergs’: Molly Carlson becomes first woman to dive off an iceberg in Canada's Twillingate

Canadian high diver Molly Carlson became the first woman to dive off an iceberg in Twillingate, Canada, showing a powerful message about her mental health. She made history following the inspiration of her own mental health struggles, using the iceberg as a symbol of courage, indicating that people’s struggles are often hidden beneath the surface, similar to icebergs that are visible just 10 per cent above the water.

“Icebergs are incredibly dangerous. This is definitely the scariest thing I’ve ever done. I felt like I was in the air for like 10 minutes,” Carlson told CBC Sports, calling the jump “the dive of my dreams.”

Carlson's documentary

28-year-old Carlson, who originally hails from Thunder Bay, Ontario, accomplished the feat off the coast of Twillingate, Newfoundland. She performed a backward dive of nearly 15 metres into the frigid North Atlantic, and her achievement also appeared in the documentary Red Bull Iceberg Dive. It was released on Thursday, October 22, 2026.

Although Carlson is no stranger to competition, regularly diving on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, an iceberg presented its own set of problems. Unlike a traditional diving platform, icebergs are constantly shifting and can crack or even roll over with little to no warning.

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Speaking to CBC Sports, Carlson shared that the project took shape over nearly four years, fuelled in part by her desire to showcase Canada’s stunning natural scenery to the world. According to NBC Bay Area, her preparation involved training in frigid waters, putting specialised wetsuits to the test, and picking up ice-climbing skills under the guidance of Canadian climber Will Gadd. Her team also invested considerable time scouting for an iceberg stable enough to safely hold the dive.

Even after touching down in Newfoundland, Carlson had no guarantee the dive would go ahead. The weather, ocean swells, and the iceberg’s stability all needed to line up before she and her team could finally attempt the historic jump.