United Kingdom

London

Tanaka Fuego

Tanaka Fuego is a Trans activist and poet who spent much of their childhood by the sea. Born and raised between Southend and the Atlantic they say, ‘flying and floating has been synonymous with my existence from the age of 3.  Some of my favorite memories are held in drops of joy baked with my interaction with water’.

But it hasn't always been an easy relationship. ‘I've spent much of my life feeling excluded from these spaces, having to hide because I was either too big or too trans at times.’ In the last few years Tanaka has made a point of reclaiming these spaces and not shying away from the crowds whilst doing it.

‘Most of my recommendations aren't super secluded, but that's because I'm constantly pushing myself to not feel so bothered. like, if you’ve never seen a trans body before, get used to it. One thing I know with certainty is water doesn't care about gender, nor race, nor weight. It's the one place we all can feel weightless at times.”

Check out Tanaka’s guide on where to embrace the crowds and stay a float. Brought you in partnership with 

 and as a part of Open Waters, a resource helping people from all backgrounds navigate the waters.

A beach that holds many of my childhood memories. It is such a special spot with a great beach. From high tide to low tide you can go for a splash about or a decent swim. It's pretty well known so it gets quite busy during summer but if you go off peak it's not chaotic at all. 4-6pm is the best time for me, you can enjoy the gentle breeze of the day winding down.

Not my favourite place but the people are more open minded. You can book swimming sessions for £6. Its family friendly and good for both beginners and those that want to do laps. There are also loads of activities to test out if you want to have fun and let loose.

Manchester is a place I love to go to, from the accent to the shore-  its a place that reminds me of being a kid. Chorlton water park is great for a paddle, and fun with friends. Like most of my other spots it isn’t remote, amidst the crowds you'll see dogs roaming free or a group of cis men having a lads summer so with this in mind I wouldn’t suggest coming down here alone, bring a pal or two and find a little spot to relax by the water. While you are there, hit Didsbury Park for a spot of bird watching. Its just a bus ride or a 30-40minute walk away.

Similar Guides

Embrace the crowds and stay afloat with Tanaka Fuego

Southend-on-Sea

Open Waters

Beach

Southend on sea

Abidjan

Abuja

Accra

Addis Ababa

Almere 

Amman

Amsterdam

Asunción

Athens

Atlanta

Auckland 

Bali

Bangkok

Barbados

Barcelona

Bath

Beijing

Beirut

Belfast

Bengaluru

Benin City

Berlin

Bilbao

Birmingham

Brighton

Brisbane

Bristol

Brussels

Buenos Aires

Byron Bay

Cairo

Cape Town

Cardiff

Casablanca

Cayman Islands

Chandigarh

Chicago

Copenhagen

Cornwall

Cotonou

Crete

Denver

Detroit

Devon

Dorset

Dubai

Dublin

Durban

Düsseldorf

Genoa

Glasgow

Gothenburg 

Haiti 

Hamburg

Havana

Hawai'i

Hong Kong

Houston

Ibadan

Ibiza

Jakarta

Jamaica

Johannesburg

Kerala

Lagos

Lisbon

Liverpool

Los Angeles 

Lyon

Manama

Manchester

Manila

Margate

Marrakech

Marseille

Martinique 

Medellin

Melbourne

Mexico City 

Milan

Minneapolis 

Montevideo

Montreal

Mumbai

Munich

Murcia

Nairobi

Nashville 

New Delhi

New York City 

Nottingham 

Oakland

Oaxaca

Ortigia

Oslo

Palestine

Paris

Pittsburgh 

Portland

Nearby

 Socio-cultural

Health

Wellness

Restaurant

Cafe

Southend on sea

Related Guides