Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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ICY WATERS — No matter how prepared you think you are, there's always something more that could be done.
Maybe it's a test. You study for hours on end, but when you sit down, somehow, you have no idea what 15 of the questions are even asking.
Or, you're buying a used car and you've researched all the things you need to check out to ensure it works properly. It's wintertime, and you've checked the lights, looked at the engine, flipped the heater and tested all the power windows. Everything checks out. You've combed through it all — and bought it. Then July hits, and it's blistering hot. Guess what? You didn't check the air conditioning when it was 12 degrees outside. You flip on the AC only to find out it doesn't work.
My point is, we can be so prepared only to find out there was one small thing we forgot to think about. This video reminded me of when I bought that car in February.
"Mike" is "globally acknowledged as the world's greatest modern-day explorer," according to the video caption. The description lists some of his accomplishments as swimming the Amazon River solo and unsupported and climbing four different 8,000-meter peaks. This video shows Mike in the Arctic Ocean region of Svalbard when he and his mates came across an iceberg and decided to climb it.
The video is just over two minutes long — half of which is spent watching the two men gear up to climb the iceberg. They climb on with all their gear, and then their fun turns to panic when the iceberg flips on them. Both climbers got out of the way unharmed, other than some chilly toes and icy bits.
This reminds me of that car I bought because these guys had all their gear and seemed all kinds of prepared to jump onto that iceberg. But one piece of equipment seemed like it would have been a great idea to strap on — a life jacket. But what do I know? I'm the dope who didn't check the AC.
Still, I don't think I'd be the dope to not throw on a life jacket in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.
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