Independent product / Community awareness
A clearer picture.
Before the water.
A community-powered app for viewing and sharing recent shark sightings around the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Context
- taplabs
- Contribution
- Product · Design · Development
- Scope
- Version 2.0 · September 2026
Coast Clear
A community-powered app for viewing and sharing recent shark sightings around the U.S. Virgin Islands.
01 / The challenge
Make local information easier to share
Coast Clear began with a simple idea: give people an easy way to share and see recent shark sightings around local beaches. Version 2.0 returned to that purpose with a ground-up rebuild.
02 / The interaction
Let the location lead
A report can begin from anywhere in the app, or by pressing and holding directly on the map. That makes the place someone is reporting the starting point of the interaction.
03 / The information design
Show the age of the information
The Activity Legend distinguishes newer and older reports. Sighting details connect to Maps, and a redesigned Safety section brings related information into a clearer structure.
04 / The system
Treat appearance as part of the experience
Light and dark modes extend across the map, cards, forms, sheets, and navigation. The app follows the device preference and also supports a manual choice.
05 / What shipped
A stronger foundation for community reporting
Version 2.0 combines the rebuilt interface with reporting and blocking tools, deletion of a person’s own sightings, and an optional ad-free subscription. The product supports awareness; it does not establish whether a beach is safe.
Product decisions summarized from the published Coast Clear 2.0 release story. Source ↗