Carol was born in Dublin and rose to the status of 3 times all-Ireland champion in both freestyle and butterfly. After 8 successful years in competitive swimming, she moved to the Isle of Man and pursued her passion for the sport qualifying as an ASA teacher, STA teacher in special needs and baby & pre-school. To add to these credentials she is also an experienced RLSS lifesaving teacher.

 

In 2009 Carol founded the most successful private swim school on the Isle of Man - 'The Aqua Pearls' www.theaquapearls.com 

 

With 8 years of competitive swimming and 20 years teaching thousands of children, Carol is highly qualified to bring this new patented product to market. This unique multi-function aid eliminates issues currently experienced when using an open cell noodle.

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THE ARK HAS BEEN STATED AS THE BEST NEW SWIMMING AID AND OF HUGE BENEFIT TO 'SEND' CHILDREN

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a BENEFITS OF USING THE  ARK

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A multitude of uses, teachers can be creative with skill work and games

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The attachable stabilisers (armbands) reduce the possibility of a child tipping backwards under the water, which in turn eliminates the possibility of the pupil inadvertently swallowing water.

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When detached, the stabilisers can be used as armbands for pupils who are transitioning in to deeper water or used in shallow water to allow independent movement to build their confidence. They can be reduced down from two floats to one. They can also be hand held and used as mini kick boards. Great for helping children learn new skills like treading water.

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The attachable head board reduces the possibility of a child banging their head on the end wall when in a supine position. With a standard noddle this is a real concern as many head injuries occur this way. As with any head injury a teacher or lifeguard must inform the parent to take the child to A&E for safety reasons. Head bangs are significantly upsetting for a child and can turn them against learning to swim. 

 

When the headboard is attached it is not necessary for the instructor to be in the water to assist manually. The Ark supports the child's head in the correct position allowing the pupil to have independent movement.

 

An additional benefit of the headboard is that lifeguards are also less anxious about head injuries.

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As the Ark is made from a closed cell foam it reduces the possibility of a child biting into it, which currently happens with open cell noodles. The negative issue with the noodle is the child can end up swallowing these small pieces or spitting them out into the water. These pieces then float on the surface and can be dangerous to other swimmers.

 

By eliminating pieces of foam floating in the water, it is not only more hygienic for everyone, but it also reduces the workload on the filtering systems.

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The kickboard has a safety wrist strap, this helps prevents a child accidentally letting go of the board when practising single arm work. With a standard kickboard if a child is still developing their balancing skills and strength they can let go and this can be a safety issue if in deep water.

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As The Ark is semi formed so it does not protrude out to the sides compared to the standard noddle. It allows the child to be hands free to practice arm movements.

 

In group lessons the standard noddle can be an issue as it sticks outwards crossing over in to other pupils space and when a pupil turns round it can hit the nearby pupil causing upset.

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Excellent stability for children with special needs.

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