Paddling to Lil Pump-er

When Kid 2 adopted a kitten, she gave it the name 'Little Pumpernickel,' partly because of its colouring. She shortened the name to 'Lil Pump' but shortened the name, even further, to Lily.

When Kid 2 learned that there was an American rapper who went by the name 'Lil Pump,' she was fuming. "I came up with that name first," she screamed.

(Actually, he beat Lily by three years.)

But this naming issue is not what this post is about. Not really.

DW, the kids, and I first passed by an abandoned boat when we canoed from Kingston to Ottawa, along the Rideau Lakes system, in 2013. We had been paddling from Rideau River Provincial Park, on this leg of our journey, and we wanted to get to the lockstation at Long Island, in Manotick, before dinner, so we didn't stop to investigate the tug-shaped ship, anchored among reeds on the east bank of the Rideau River.

It wasn't until the summer of 2021 that I returned to the Rideau River and revisited the boat. This time, in my kayak.

I was alone on that late-day paddle but I hoped that DW would join me to explore it again, this time with my video camera.

That day came in mid to late June, when our Paddlefolk joined us in Kars.

The day was grey and threatened rain but we didn't care. It was only 1.5 kilometres from the put-in, on Stevens Creek, to the S.S. Pumper, an early 20th-century, wood-fired steamship.

We spent some time at the abandoned ship, all the while I kept referring to it as 'Lil Pump.' In my head, I was thinking of Lily, but when I made my YouTube video, I make a reference to the rapper.

I don't know his music or anything about him, really, but it doesn't matter. For me, it's a tribute to Kid 2's cat.

Have a watch (it's only five-and-a-half minutes).

If you like my video, please give it a thumbs-up and consider subscribing to my channel. I'll have a new video next week.

Happy Tuesday!