My recent trip to Trinidad proved interesting, but getting on and off the platform might have been the most exciting part. This rig was parked out in the bay only about 3 or 4 miles out. Although I could actually see it from my room. It was a half hour drive to get from the hotel to the waterfront.  The roads are windy and traffic is horrendous.

Once we arrived and parked the car we had to wait for the pilot boat to arrive. The pier we were at is pretty typical of of most municipal waterfronts anywhere, with many commercial and sport fishing boats docked beam to beam. The pilot boat arrived and took us near where the service boat was hanging out near the platform

We boarded by  climbing up a rope ladder. This was a big boat maybe 200 feet long. They then backed this thing up into rig

The next part is the exiting part.   They lower this net cage device and put our bags and stuff inside the netting and on the floor.  We are then told to step on the outside and hang on tight.  The crane operators are experts and smoothly guide us up across and to a gentle landing. All I know is that I had a death grip on that thing for the whole ride. While I was very grateful when the whole thing was over It dawned on me that if I were to ever get off this platform I would have to do it again.