"My main job is to be a link between disaster and rescue" says coastguard Richard. His audio diaries give an insight into the challenges he faces keeping us safe at sea.

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To coincide with the BBC's Coast series, one of North Yorkshire's coastguards has made time to record a diary of the kinds of challenges he and his workmates face on a daily basis.

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Diary One
In the first installment, Richard tells us a little bit about himself and why he joined the Coastguard.

"My main job is to be a link between disaster and rescue... I was first drawn to this because I thought it would help my ex-colleagues in the Merchant Navy."

Diary Two
Ever wondered what it would be like to stare out to sea day after day? That's what coastguards used to do… These days, like many of us, their job involves staring at computer screens. In his second diary entry, we join Richard at home after a night shift.

"It really is not an enjoyable thing for me, walking down by the sea. I much prefer to go inland and walk amongst the trees. Having spent 20 years at sea, as you can imagine you don't see many trees."

Diary Three
In his third diary entry, Richard's in the office, safe from the bad weather. However the bad weather means it's an extremely busy time.

"We've got a yacht off Holy Island who's having problems with the bad weather and we're launching a lifeboat to assist him. Also we've got a sick crew-member on one of the gas rigs off Flamborough Head."

Diary Four
For coastguards, summer weekends can seem non-stop. In his fourth installment Richard works his way through a very busy Saturday.

"The incident in Filey has finished, it turned out to be a couple of people in an inflatable canoe who had misjudged the weather and had to be bailed out by the lifeboat and escorted back into Filey."

Diary Five
Richard reflects on the both the wonders and the dangers of being by the sea.

"It's been fun doing this audio diary, For 35 years the sea has had something to do with my life. I've always wanted to go there, ever since I got lost on Cleethorpes Beach at the age of five."