• on 28 November 1968 the Finnish ferries MS Ilmatar and MS Botnia collided in the Åland archipelago, resulting in the death of six people?

Facts on topics related to Palm Beach Princess

Finland

• Estonia joined World War II in 1940, after the Soviet Union blockaded the country, a Finnish airliner was shot down and three diplomatic couriers were killed?
• Finland band Nightwish was nominated for 27 awards including 2 Echo Awards and 13 Emma-gaala Awards?
• Finland was close to becoming an independent kingdom in 1742?
• Finnish film director Valentin Vaala was reportedly so disappointed with his first film that he dumped the original camera negatives into the sea?
• Finnish-born filmmaker Antero Alli shot his 1995 science fiction feature The Drivetime on a budget of U$5,000?
• Andrew Berg, a Finnish immigrant to the U.S. state of Alaska, became the Territory's first licensed hunting guide?
• Major Carl Mothander, the leader of Swedish volunteers in the Estonian War of Independence, later wrote books on Estonian politics that were banned in Finland?
• Ismo Alanko Säätiö's accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen has been dubbed the "Jimi Hendrix of the accordion" by the Finnish music press?
• Larin Paraske, a Finnish oral poet, could recite over 32,000 verses of poetry?
• Nokian Tyres, a Finnish company that designed the first winter tyre, must test its summer tyres in South Africa, Spain, and Germany because of the short summers in Finland?

Helsinki

• a British submarine flotilla dominated the Baltic Sea for a major part of WWI, but the loss of the Socialists in the Finnish Civil War forced the crews to scuttle the fleet outside Helsinki?
• the People's Republic of China made its Olympic debut at the 1952 Summer Games, but the team arrived in Helsinki too late to compete except for one race by a single swimmer?
• the Russian Empire built the Krepost Sveaborg fortress around Helsinki, Finland, during the First World War?
• triple quartets from Finland's oldest choir Akademiska Sångföreningen helped raise funds to build the Old Student House in Helsinki?

Baltic Sea

• abrasion has destroyed the 14th century Church in Trzęsacz, Poland, near the Baltic Sea, except for part of its southern wall?
• a British submarine flotilla dominated the Baltic Sea for a major part of WWI, but the loss of the Socialists in the Finnish Civil War forced the crews to scuttle the fleet outside Helsinki?
• in the Polish–Muscovite War of 1577–1582, Muscovy failed in its attempt to gain access to the Baltic Sea?
• the Augustów Canal in north-eastern Poland (pictured) was built in order to circumvent high customs duties introduced by Prussia for the transit of goods to the Baltic Sea?
• the Brandenburg Navy (pictured) fought in many battles in the Baltic Sea before merging with the Prussian Navy in 1701?
• the French ironclad Jeanne d'Arc (model pictured) was part of a squadron of French ships that attempted to blockade Prussian ports in the Baltic Sea in 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War?
• the Karl Johanslussen (pictured) is one of the locks and sluices between Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea that give rise to the name of the Slussen area of central Stockholm?
• the Klaipėda Geothermal Demonstration Plant in Klaipėda, Lithuania, constructed during the late 1990s and early 2000s, is the first geothermal heating plant in the Baltic Sea region?
• the cargo of the Dalarö wreck (pictured), sunk in the Baltic Sea, included coal and several Bartmann jugs?
• the most powerful recorded earthquake in Estonia, measuring 4.7 magnitudes in Richter scale, occurred in 1976 near the Baltic Sea island of Osmussaar (pictured)?

Copenhagen

• Emperor Alexander III of Russia provided funding for the construction of a Russian Orthodox church on Bredgade in Copenhagen at the behest of his Danish-born empress?
• Charles X Gustav of Sweden waged war with the intent to vanquish Denmark and raze Copenhagen in 1658?
• Dyrehaven, a forest park outside Copenhagen, Denmark, has 15 entrances, all with characteristic red gates (pictured)?
• Ted Nierenberg formed Dansk International Designs to sell Scandinavian-style items in the U.S. after seeing Jens Quistgaard's handcrafted fork and knife on display in a Copenhagen museum?
• naval heroes Peter Tordenskjold and Niels Juel are buried in Copenhagen's Church of Holmen?

Europe

• "Pink Fairhead" is a common name for Calocybe carnea, a small pink mushroom of grassy areas in Europe and North America?
• "experienced Euro watcher" Tony Connelly wrote Don't Mention the Wars: A Journey Through European Stereotypes, examining the stereotypical views of Europeans?
• blues singer Jesse Fortune, better known as the "Fortune Tellin' Man," passed on performing in Europe because he did not want to disappoint customers at his Chicago barbershop?
• Brazil has recently opened a commercial fishery targeting the Colares stingray, for export to Europe?
• Canadian-born Jim Koleff spent three decades in Europe as an ice hockey player, coach and manager after telling coach Dave Chambers that he would play in Italy for one year?
• Dorothea Mackellar wrote her patriotic Australian poem "My Country", which contains the line I love a sunburnt country, while she was homesick when travelling in Europe?
• Europe's most powerful supercomputer, MareNostrum, will be used in human genome research, protein research, weather forecasting and the design of new drugs?
• French geography professor Henri Enjalbert theorized that Albania, the Ionian islands and southern Dalmatia were the only European regions with grapevines following the last Ice Age?
• French Army soldiers killed between 15,000 and 45,000 Algerian civilians in the Setif massacre of May 8, 1945, the same day as V-E day in Europe?
• Germany is the European leader in Christmas tree production?

France

• "4 Mots sur un piano", which deals with the theme of a romantic relationship between two men and one woman, was the fifth best-selling single of 2007 in France?
• 11-year old Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein is regarded by Jacobites as third in line for the throne of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland?
• 18th century Franco-Portuguese industrialist Jácome Ratton (pictured) left a vivid account of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake in his memoirs and was exiled to the Azores during the Napoleonic Wars?
• 18th century French artilleries were the most efficient at cannon operation (pictured), capable of firing 150 shots per cannon daily during siege?
• 18th century French salons were often led by those who were creating the Encyclopédie?
• footballer Edward King was honored for heroism in the Philippines and tactical skill in France and later became Commandant of the Army Command and General Staff College?
• Cambodia's Mongkol Borei District was part of Thailand until the French demanded it back in 1907?
• Camille Le Mercier d'Erm and his colleagues formed the Breton Nationalist Party in 1911 to advocate the independence of Brittany from France?
• Catherine II's Instruction to the Legislative Assembly was banned in pre-revolutionary 18th-century France as a "libertarian book"?
• cinematographer Lawrence Sher first developed an interest in photography after his father convinced him to take a 35mm camera on a Teaneck High School-sponsored trip to France?