There's a shipwreck.  With my heroine and her companions on the ship.

Now, is it just before the story opens, or does it open the story?

The thing is, the drama of shipwreck may give a false impression of the drama of the story, which will be rather different in tone.  Full of (if only I can pull it off) mysterious questions from their own character to metaphysical foundations.  

Hmm -- unless I manage to slither in some of mysteriousness of latter happenings in the cause of the shipwreck.

And meanwhile, does it really work in the first person?

At least the princess took herself off quickly enough. . . .