Captain C Rynd (18 July 2005)

[Lynda Bradford]

Captain Christopher Rynd

First command of QE2: 18 July 2005
Last command of QE2: 8 March 2006


Thank-you to Cunard for permission to use this photo

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Background:  Born in New Zealand  and grew up in Singapore, Sri Lanka, and in the South Pacific islands of Fiji and Samoa.

Navy Career:

1970:  Start of Navy career at the age of 17 in New Zealand
Joined P&O ship Oronsay after completing his apprenticeship
1979:  Gained Master Certificate

Served in the British Royal Navy, Royal Navy Reserve (RNR) for eight years

During his navy career he served onboard:
Royal Princess
Regal Princess
Island Princess
Sky Princess

2002:  Brought Pacific Princess into service
2004: Assumed command of Saphire Princess
2005: Assumed command of QE2 (18 July 2005)
2006: Captain of QE2 for part of her world cruise
2007:  Captain onboard QM2 for her maiden circumnavigation voyage of the World
2008: Captain onboard Queen Victoria
2008:  Elected as a Fellow of the Nautical Institute
2009/2010: Coach* in the companies training facility "CSmart" based in the Netherlands
2011:  Appointed as Commodore of the Cunard Fleet.  He was one of the first Captains to command the three Cunard Queens: Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria

Chris Frame reported in January 2016: He spend some time moving between ships, commanding QM2 during her world voyages in 2012 and 2013.

In 2015 he was aboard QV when she rendezvoused with QM2 in Sydney to kick off 175 Year celebrations - the event caused quite a stir.

As Commodore of the fleet, his commodore's pennant is flown from QV's bows.

*Coaching with the "CSmart" training facility gave Captain Rynd the opportunity to travel on the company's fleet of ships and to be involved in new safety procedures (source: Cunard Shipboard Information 13/9/2011)


Media and Information Sources:
News com.au - Visit of the Royal Giants, by Mike Smith (15/2/2007) Mention of Captain Rynd
http://www.news.com.au/travel/holiday-ideas/visit-of-the-royal-giants/story-e6frfqf9-1111113017717

Beyond Ships – An interview with Christopher Rynd by Richard H Wagner (April 2011)
http://www.beyondships.com/QM2-Rynd-1.html

Mirror – Captain Greybeard 21 April 2011
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greybeard/2011/04/cunard-names-kiwi-commodore.html

The QE2 Story Discussion Topics that Feature Captain Rynd:

"You had the feeling of making history sail" says Commodore Rynd"
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,3415.0.html


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