Reinhold Colbus is a conscientious but boring librarian who works in the German state library. He comes into an inheritance and suddenly finds himself the owner of an old whaling ship in Amsterdam harbour, the Walburga VII. When he arrives in Amsterdam to inspect his property the ship turns out be occupied by hippie squatters. Colbus starts to do up the ship, helped by the flower children and über hippie Jan. Colbus and his colourful crew set off on an eventful trip.