Obituary: Constantine “Captain Gus” Markakis
Capt. Gus Markakis passed away peacefully in Boca Raton, Florida on Saturday, February 5, 2022. Born in Greece on December 20, 1937, he was 84 years old.
Gus went to sea at the age of 16, entering a nautical preparatory high school to learn navigation, seamanship, and rules of the road. He graduated in 1958 and by 1965 had ascended to 2nd mate aboard a Greek supertanker.
In 1967, he met his future wife, Antoinette, an American who was vacationing in Greece. In 1968, the couple moved to Chicago and Antoinette got a job with United States Steel, which at the time had a fleet of 42 vessels on the Great Lakes.
Gus applied to USS and was assigned to the steamer Henry Phipps, as a deckhand. He didn’t know what a ‘deckhand’ was but shortly after boarding in Milwaukee, he figured out the position did not warrant his briefcase, sport coat and tie. His true status became even clearer when he was shown his quarters: a small cabin shared with three other men.
After a few months with U.S. Steel, Gus moved to the Inland Steel fleet, then in 1972 began his 28-year career with Oglebay Norton, earning his AB certificate the same year, then quickly moving up the ranks and earning his masters license in 1978.
In 1987, Gus was named permanent Captain of the Armco, and in 1991, permanent Captain of the Oglebay Norton, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. As Captain, he took great pride in the appearance of his vessel and was well-known for his attention to detail.
In 2003, his fellow Detroit International Shipmasters’ Association lodge members honored him with the Lewis Ludington Award.
Gus is survived by his wife Antoinette, daughter Gina, son Emmanuel, and three grandchildren: Alyna, Evangelia, and Loukas. He will be dearly missed by family and friends. The family has suggested memorial donations to the St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton, FL
Additional photos and an on-line guest book can be found here: https://www.glickfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Constantine-Markakis
Coast Guard icebreaker medevacs woman from icebound Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island, MI – The Coast Guard responded to an urgent request for medical assistance on Mackinac Island today in an unusually improvisational way.
Watchstanders received notification of a woman in need of critical medical attention on Mackinac Island Monday morning. While helicopters are generally used for such missions, difficult weather conditions at the Coast Guard’s air station in Traverse City made that impossible.
Fortunately, Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay, a 140-foot icebreaker, was underway clearing a path on the St. Marys River, and the crew immediately altered plans and set a course for Mackinac Island.
Katmai Bay arrived at the island’s main dock about 11 a.m. and embarked the woman with the help of local EMS. The ship then used its icebreaking capabilities to plow a course to nearby St. Ignace in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where EMS was waiting. The woman was successfully transported to a local hospital where she is receiving next level care.
“Today’s efforts by our crews demonstrate the flexibility and ingenuity of our search and rescue planners in finding solutions to complex cases, regardless of the weather,” said Capt. Anthony Jones, Sector Commander of Sector Sault Ste. Marie. The sector encompasses all of Lake Superior and the northern portion of lakes Huron and Michigan. “My hat is also off to the crew of the Katmai Bay, who shifted from icebreaking to search and rescue in a matter of moments to help this woman get the critical care she needed.”
USCG
Most Great Lakes won’t approach record highs in next 6 months, report finds
Detroit, MI – Most of the Great Lakes will remain above their long-term average water levels in the coming months but won’t reach the record highs of recent years, Army Corps of Engineers hydrologists said in their latest forecast.
“We’re well below the record high levels we experienced in 2019 and 2020,” Detroit District Great Lakes Watershed Hydrology Chief Keith Kompoltowicz said. “And our forecast does not show the likelihood of any of the lakes really approaching those record highs again over the next six months.”
Hydrologists reviewed January lake levels and weather patterns and projected a range of possible water levels for each lake over the next six months. All of the Great Lakes declined somewhat in January, hydrologists found. The region experienced less precipitation than usual that month.
Drier than average weather, particularly in 2021, has caused lake levels to decline from their record highs, Kompoltowicz said. The area around Lake Superior has been particularly dry, pushing the northerly lake below its average water levels. It likely will remain below average in the next six months, hydrologists found.
Conversely, Lake Ontario could reach close to record high levels in the coming months, hydrologists found. Its watershed has experienced wetter weather conditions than other parts of the region, Kompoltowicz said.
Lakes Michigan and Huron, technically one lake, and Lake Erie will continue to get closer to their long-term average water level this year, hydrologists found. They will trend away from the high water records set in 2019 and 2020.
Ice started to form on the lakes in January, far behind schedule. It is causing a problem in the St. Clair River, where residents have reported rising water levels caused by ice jams, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit said Thursday.
The river isn’t flooding, but there is an ice plug in the river. The Canadian and U.S. coast guards are working together to break the ice jam.
The Detroit News
