Shark survival

Surf And Rescue Sharks Guide

"Avoid the sharks 🦈" is one of the five official gameplay pillars, and the first full gameplay video is literally titled "The SHARKS Would NOT Leave Me Alone". Here's what is actually known about the shark system.

The SHARK! warning system

Shark danger is telegraphed, not hidden:

A red SHARK! banner appears over the zone name — observed over "Shallow Waters", a starter zone.
The screen edges turn red (a danger vignette) while the threat is active.
Sharks themselves are visible in the water — pale pink sharks swim offshore and fins cut the surface near players.

🦈 Red banner + red screen edges = sharks active. If you came to dig, dig fast; if you're low-speed, leave the zone.

How to escape: speed, speed, speed

The developer's official tip: "increase your speed in the pool so you can outrun the sharks." Speed comes from three observed sources — they're different kinds of input, so treat the table as a comparison, not one formula:

Source	Observed value	Type / condition
TRAINING pool	+2 per swim	permanent training gains; Common Pool upgrade $250, later sign $10K
Boards	1.6x Speed	travel multiplier while riding (Octopus Board observed at the BOARDS shop)
Rent-A-Jetski	2x Speed	timed rental, 5 min — a short burst for crossing dangerous water

Survival routine

Train the pool early. It's the developer's first shark answer and its first upgrade ($250) is affordable in your first session.
Watch for the banner. The SHARK! banner + vignette is your cue before the chase starts.
Ride a board with a multiplier (Octopus 1.6x observed) and save the jetski's 2x/5-min rental for the worst crossings.
Don't dig mid-chase. Digging keeps you standing at the dig spot, so finish the rescue first and move after — presenter inference from the footage, not a verified game rule.

Sharks are also rescue clients

The official art shows a muddy shark with trash stuck on it — cans, a ring, a net — getting the same hose treatment as the turtle and dolphin. In Surf And Rescue's world, the shark is both the hazard and one of the sea pets the game wants you to clean up. Expect shark-related rescue content rather than pure enemies.

What is not verified (yet)

Do not assume a shark chase carries no consequences. What happens when a shark catches you is unknown, shark spawn rules are unverified, and zone lists may change.