On the North coast of Trinidad, there is a secluded beach called Paria Bay that can only be accessed on land by using hiking trails.
The hike from Paria Bay to the nearest village, Blanchisseuse, is definitely not a walk in the park and takes about two hours to complete.
It then takes another hour or so in a car to get from Blanchisseuse to Port-of-Spain.
Yet these obstacles do not seem to deter Venezuelan migrants hoping to enter this country.
When the T&T Guardian visited Paria Bay last week there was a wooden shed on the beach with a handwritten sign marked "Immigration" along with its Spanish equivalent "inmigración".
This area, however, is not a legal port of entry into T&T and therefore does not have an official immigration office.
Paria Bay is also not one of the closest points between Trinidad and Venezuela.
But none of these things matter, because for some Venezuelans it does not make a difference.
They are willing to try anything to get into T&T to escape hardships in their homeland.
Juan, 35, is one such Venezuelan.
About six months ago, Juan entered Trinidad on a pirogue with about 20 others.
Juan said it was a difficult journey but he is happy to be here now.
He was among 15,000 Venezuelans who were officially registered in this country during a two-week process which ended on Friday.
Among the questions Juan was asked him during the registration process was how he entered the country.
He answered the questions as best he could, Juan said.
Juan is now awaiting the official registration card that successful applicants are supposed to receive.
Now he has a white receipt that he keeps in his wallet to show that he completed the registration process.
Like Juan, many of the Venezuelan migrants who entered T&T did so illegally using unofficial ports of entry.
Before the registration process started it was confirmed that only 9,080 citizens of Venezuela, who entered T&T legally, had overstayed their time in this country between 2016 to now.
Normally Trinidad's South-west peninsula and beaches such as Icacos, Galfar, Erin, Chatham, Mon Diablo, Buenos Ayres, and Quinam are the areas of choice for migrants coming here.
Coast Guard patrol borders
But of an increased presence by the T&T Coast Guard's along the South-west peninsula at that time the pirogue carrying Juan used the North coast instead.
Juan believes that with the plan to introduce a visa for Venezuelans to enter T&T even more creative avenues will be explored.
Speaking to the T&T Guardian on Friday, Commanding Officer of the T&T Coast Guard Captain Douglas Archer said it was not surprising the lengths people fleeing Venezuela would go through to try and enter this country.
Archer, however, assured that T&T's borders are secure.
"We are always out there. You may not see us but we are there," Archer said.
The length of the T&T coastline is approximately 330 nautical miles.
And at its closest points, it takes a pirogue about ten minutes to get from Venezuela to Trinidad.
On Thursday, the T&T Coast Guard, while conducting maritime security patrols south of Icacos Point, intercepted two pirogues which contained a total of 43 Venezuelan migrants on board.
The vessels were intercepted and escorted out of T&T's maritime border.
Incidents like this occur regularly.
But the T&T Coast Guard could not provide an exact average of how many they stop daily.
"Based on the dynamic nature of maritime traffic, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard is unable to provide an average of the number of pirogues entering the country on a daily basis from Venezuela," the T&T Coast Guard stated.
"We stop, board and search all targets of interest to determine if there have been any breaches of national laws and policies, including illegal migration," it stated.
National Security Minister Stuart Young spoke of two incidents which he said occurred this week with pirogues trying to enter T&T waters and its occupants either feigning illness or problems with their boat.
The T&T Coast Guard said it has increased its "operational tempo".
"Due to our increased operational tempo the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard would have necessarily intercepted more vessels but this is not seen as an increase. Rather it is a reflection of greater domain control," it stated.
The T&T Coast Guard said since T&T is an archipelagic state it possesses "numerous landing areas".
"The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard provides coverage to all of these areas, to the best of our ability, as we execute our operational roles and responsibilities," it stated.
The T&T Coast Guard said this will continue even as plans are being put in place to implement a visa for Venezuelans to enter here.
"The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard has always and will continue to conduct maritime patrols to the best of our ability. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard has been involved in numerous operations and this posture will persist as we continue to execute our operational roles and responsibilities," it stated.
Young said all of this country's available marine assets are in use to protect the T&T border.
He said the T&T Coast Guard has done excellent with the limited assets and claims of this country's borders being invaded "are completely untrue and false".
"The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard makes full use of all assets within its inventory to combat illegal immigrants as well as other roles and responsibilities we are mandated to perform," the Coast Guard stated.
Young said although plans are in place to upgrade this country's radar system it continues to work and has been instrumental in assisting in border protection as it is able to trace the path vessels entering our country take.
Despite this, though Archer also advised fisherfolk, pleasure craft operators, and all other citizens who may notice pirogues transporting migrants into the country, to call the T&T Coast Guard hotline at 800-TTCG.
For Additional information, individuals can call 271-3371, 271-3373 or 634-4440.