Mike Jones (canoeist)

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Mike Jones was a 20th century canoeist known for his expeditions on the Blue Nile and Dudh Kosi.

Born in the early 1950s in Yorkshire, England, he began kayaking in November 1965 at age 14. He describes his first time on the water as an "exhilarating and exciting day, despite the fact that I spent more time capsizing and swimming than canoeing." That winter he learned to roll. In the following years he paddled local rivers such as the Wharfe, Swale, Ure, Nidd and Lune.

He took up slalom canoeing and took part in his first expedition in 1969. It was led by 19 year old Jeff Slater whilst Slater was waiting to go to Cambridge University. The group paddled the River Inn. Jones was seventeen at the time and worked "feverishly" over a five week holiday to raise his contribution to the expedition's funds. They arrived at St. Moritz in July after a warm up in Germany and Austria, described as a "baptism of fire." On arrival at the Inn, he soon realised why it had earned the title of the hardest stretch of water in Europe - it was in a steep gorge and from 1,000 feet above the rapids still appeared huge. The descent lasted five days, badly damaged eight kayaks, and nearly killed one team member.

In autumn 1971 Jones was an undergraduate studying medicine at Birmingham University. His life as a student appears to have consisted of juggling his studies and his canoeing. He would often miss Friday evening lectures to attend canoeing events countrywide: "The dedicated grind of medical study did not inspire me the way that countrywide canoeing competitions did."

During the winter and spring of 1971/1972 he was planning two more trips, and in June 1972 he was appointed team manager of British Universities Slalom and Whitewater Team, competing "with considerable success" in three international events in Europe in the summer of 1972. Within hours of completing milestone exams, he set off for Austria without even knowing the results. Jones' following expeditions included the Blue Nile, where the local bandits were as much of a threat as the river. Mike Jones turned twenty one on this expedition, huddled inside a wet sleeping bag and sleeping with a .45 revolver in his hand.

On return from the Blue Nile, Jones wanted to make the first descent of the Dudh Kosi. This river, running down Mount Everest, falls at approximately 280 feet per mile. By comparison, the man-made slalom course in Austria falls at 50 feet per mile, so this river was a great challenge. The team consisted of Mike Jones, Mick Hopkinson (part of the Blue Nile team), John Liddell, Robert (Bob) Hastings, Roger Huyton (pronounced hi-ton), Dave Manby and John Gosling, the troubleshooter of the team. The expedition suffered many problems with finance and sponsorship, and several people declined any involvement as they felt the risk of dying was too great. A film was made of the descent and it was followed in the Observer colour magazine and HTV Cardiff. The canoes used on the descent were specially designed by Graham Mackereth of Pyranha Canoes, who are still very well known today.

Jones authored a book on the expedition titled “Canoeing Down Everest”.

Sadly, Dr Mike Jones died in 1978 on the Braldu River in Pakistan while trying to save a companion.