Watch Where You Step [Steppy Cock]

Warning: Steppy Cock Should Be Only Performed By Trained Professionals

Ice pans or ices floes are a common occurrence in Newfoundland. They are chunks of sea ice that fill a harbour or bay, brought in by currents and dragged out by the same. Of course, the first thing a child wants to do is jump from one to another, making their way across the open water.

This happens to any number of harbours, and in Newfoundland, there’s usually a town filled with children to capitalize on it. These days, what with overly cautious parents, the practice is becoming rarer (and if you’ve seen it, you can understand why). I have heard stories how it was done for kicks as well as a short cut to the opposite side of town.

I would venture to say that there as many names for the activity as there are harbours for the ice to fill, but one is of particular interest to our purposes: Steppy Cock. A rather colorful and painful sounding name. Perhaps it was named after what it felt like to fall into the frigid waters? Or maybe derivative from another sexy, but much more apt name, Cocky?

While I can’t pinpoint the origin, it is still in use, with the Dictionary of Newfoundland English citing an instance in 1973 and a 2005 novel by Michael Winter, The Big Why, also cites the game (p. 96), although the events of the novel take place in the early 20th Century.

Do you have more information or a correction? Email me at andrewjhiscock [at] gmail [dot] com