From scuba diving to big-game fishing, many activities here involve water. But it was also on this wild, windswept coastline of islands, shallow banks, and sand dunes that the Wright brothers made the first motorized flight in history.

The coastal town of Duck in North Carolina is home to a group of scientist who use remarkable custom-built vehicles to carry out their research on storms and erosion.

Oceanographer Jesse McNinch gets excited when the big storms roll in. He loves being near the ocean, so his job taking samples and gathering data along the coast is perfect for him. Further north, we pass the city of Norfolk and arrive on the eastern shore of Virginia.

Johnny Mo’s creative approach to preparing fresh seafood draws people to his restaurant in Onancock, Virginia. He wasn’t born on the coast, but loves it and hopes never to leave.

Continuing our tour up the East Coast of America, we reach the state of Delaware, where we meet pioneering wine producer Peggy Raley. For her, each vine is like a child, needing special care and attention to flourish and grow.

Peggy started her winery together with her father, and she keeps his office just as it was when he was alive. Further north on an Atlantic City beach, John Gowdy has carved out a niche for himself as a sand sculptor.

John explains which tools he uses to create his marvellous sand sculptures, and why the finished works of art need protecting from the people who come to see them! Further north, at Toms River, we meet Lindsay Harrington, who works for a museum’s insect zoo, and is on the beach with colleagues trying to net a big catch of invertebrates.

At the zoo, Lindsey carries out her daily tasks and presents spiders, scorpions, and millipedes to fascinated visitors. She hopes that by introducing people to insects and bugs at a young age, they won’t grow up afraid of the creatures she loves.

Heading north towards New York, we pass the Twin Lights lighthouse and, overlooking the Hudson River, perhaps the most famous statue in the world, the Statue of Liberty. The city’s skyline has another iconic feature: the wooden water tanks perched on its rooftops. We meet Clive Bushy, a veteran installer who risks life and limb to keep the city’s water flowing.

Clive repurposes spare materials from his work, crafting doors and tables from the high-quality wood he salvages. Today, he’s hosting a party for friends and family in his Brooklyn backyard. Next, we head to Ground Zero, the former site of the World Trade Center.

In New York, Austin works as a bicycle messenger, weaving through the city’s relentless traffic to make urgent deliveries. He’s good at his job too, having recently won the world championship for couriers! He explains what he enjoys about his work, and why the bridges are significant to the city’s cyclists.

Austin’s passion for cycling doesn’t stop when work ends. As a bike messenger, he’s found a freedom few city jobs can offer. Across town on Coney Island, we meet another New Yorker with a creative streak: photographer Nigel Morris, who scouts the boardwalk for spontaneous open-air portraits of people who catch his eye.

Photographer Nigel has fond childhood memories of New York's Coney Island amusement park. His subject today—a woman recently returned from traveling the world—shares that same sense of nostalgia. New York draws dreamers, and Nigel is no exception, aiming to make his mark in the upper echelons of photography.

Long Island’s beaches attract vacationers and New York City residents, and the seabed supports healthy stocks of oysters, both farmed and wild. They are ready to be collected by dedicated oyster divers and supply the restaurants of New York.

Blue Point Oyster Farm on Long Island provides oysters for restaurants and special events like parties and weddings. Kevin grew up in the area, and it was his love for the sea that brought him back. In this video, he explains some of the process involved in raising oysters.