Even on the way to the port city, WUMI could smell the sea. A salty breeze swept across the coastal meadows, and the first sailboat masts appeared between the rooftops. HOPSI walked a little faster because he was eager to see if the boats were really as colorful as they were on WUMI's map. MUCKI, on the other hand, kept stopping to admire the small plants along the path, while EDDI tried to follow the flight of a seagull with his eyes.

Arriving at the harbor, they found a spot on a low stone wall. Red, blue, and yellow boats bobbed on the water in front of them. Their reflections were pulled apart by each wave and then immediately reassembled. WUMI took out his sketchbook because he wanted to take a picture of the Crystal Coast home with him.

First, he colored the sea blue. Then he paused because the water next to the jetty suddenly looked green and, further out, had silver flecks. EDDI leaned curiously over his shoulder and even spotted a patch of violet in the shadow of a boat. WUMI hardly knew which pen to pick.

MUCKI suggested they first admire the coastline from above. A winding path led them to the lighthouse, which stood on a grassy rock. From there, they could see the harbor town, the long shell beach, and a small cove hidden behind a natural rock arch. The sun moved slowly across the sky, and everywhere the colors changed with it.

WUMI sketched a few small areas of color along the edge of his page. HOPSI chose the lightest turquoise because it reminded him of the gentle waves on the beach. EDDI opted for the dark blue far out, and MUCKI pointed to the white foam lines between the rocks.

They took a break on the shell beach. As they ate their pear slices, the water pushed tiny shells across the sand. HOPSI placed several empty shells side by side and marveled at how different they looked. Some were striped, others almost transparent, and one shimmered pink inside, even though it was quite plain on the outside.

Finally, the friends followed the beach to Crystal Cove. Here, the waves became calmer, and blue crystals jutted out between the rocks. Sunlight filtered through their tips, painting bright patches on the stone. WUMI sat down and began to paint again. This time, he used many colors, leaving small areas unpainted where the paper shimmered like sunlight.

As they walked back through the harbor town that evening, golden reflections shone on the water. WUMI added one last line to his notebook and showed the others the finished picture. HOPSI immediately recognized the shell beach, MUCKI the lighthouse, and EDDI the shimmering bay. WUMI gazed at the colorful patches, each color reminding him of a different moment from their day at the seaside.