I did read some of the information on their site, tho not all. It sounds like a wonderful tool to be used along with education and observation. No one can watch a child 24/7, but a monitor is just what it is. Hopefully it can save the lives of many.

It's a wonder I'm not just a statistic...grew up going to "the lake" every weekend until I was 17. As kids we practically lived in the water and of course did all sorts of things no longer considered "safe", including not wearing life jackets unless we were water skiing (wasn't a law then, 'course we didn't do sunscreen then either). We DID have swimming lessons early on all the way thru Jr Lifeguards, and good parental supervision. But not every parent can be everywhere.

Scarey, something we should all think about.

yep....that's what worries me. We can't be everywhere and kids can slip away fast. Even the best fences and gates can't always protect them. I thought it looked like a great idea and very practical for koi ponds. I am going to order it when my grandson gets just a little older.

The only problem with a device like that is that you still have to be within ear shot - it only takes a few seconds for a child to drown. A net would be much safer and I've been looking at ones I've linked below. Interesting idea. Looks like it can be removed fairly easily, the only problem I can see is interfering with taller plants, which you'd have to avoid growing in your pond until your grandchild grows up. (Additional benefit is predator deterrent!)

Here is a link that might be useful: KatchaKid Pool Safety Net

Nancy, I've known people who used those nets....they are great!! unfortunatly the way I built my pond, there isn't much structure surrounding the pond to attach the net to. Nets are the BEST protection, but in my case pretty impossible. I will put alarms and locks on the gates and also door alarms. I even thought about putting a fido-shock electric fence wire along the top of the fence to keep kids from climbing it (is that mean???lol!) From what I've heard about the alarm, it is VERY loud and can also be attached to sirens and strobe lights (I think a different reciever is required for that). I'll use the reciever in the house, and attach an alarm siren on the outside so if we are in the garden we will still hear it.

have any one hear of the safadeck. this is a plastic-glass based product that sits above or just below water level. Its solid and stands on legs in the pond or ancherd to the pond side. It's almost invisable to most people.
www.safapond.com take a look.

That's a pretty cool concept, but would not be practical for a fish pond. I might be OK for a water garden. If it was mounted right under the water, it would develop a thin film of algae on both sides and soon the pond would appear to be only an inch deep. It could also act as a greenhouse and make the pond heat up.

For a smaller pond I have heard you can get a plastic or metal grid that sits just under the water, plants could grow thru it, you can feed the fish thru it, though I imagine a heron or coon could stand on it to go fishing. Wonder it you couldn't put that netting just under the surface too? Interesting....

netting or the grid work for that safapond that is under the surface creates a terrible hazard for the fish. If they try to come to the surface, they may get their heads in the grating or netting and die. I'd rather have something well above the water to keep the fish safe AND kids safe.

I taught my kids to swim when they were a babies since we had a pond right beside the house that was just a deep hole in the ground and would be hard to get out of since it was very deep. My daughter disappeared on day when she was about a year old when I put her down for a nap and one of the older kids had left the door open so I thought she had gotten outside. I looked all over the entire house and couldn't find her anywhere and yelled and yelled. I was so scared to go look in the pond and find her floating since she loved to collect frogs near the pond and stuff them in her pullups. A whole nother story. I called my husband after I looked in there and he came home with the police since we lived on 450 acres in the middle of nowhere to help search and she had been missing for 2 hours. Guess where she was. She had pushed the mattress over a little and was wedged between the wall and matress covered all the way up snoozing away. I thought I was going to pass out when we found her I was so relieved. Kids are never too young to learn to be careful around the pond and not go near it without an adult and to swim so if they do fall in they won't panick and have a chance of getting out.

It is very scary. I have 2 grandkids (4 and 1) and another on the way. The safety turtle seems a good idea but I wouldnt rely solely on that. Kids have a way of being able to open/remove anything. I'd be afraid they could get the wrist band off plus you'd have to have them wear it the whole time they are there. All in all it sounds like a great item and I may get that myself.

I was so afraid I put a 5' chain link fence around mine with a 10' rolling gate that has a heavy duty chain with a key lock. Already my grandson who is 4 trys to climb the fence to get to the frogs :(

Whatever we do to try to protect them is well worth the money/time/effort. Grandkids are priceless.

Kathy