The Black Sands of Iwo Jima??

No Gnorman hasn't made it to Iwo Jima, just yet anyway, so he had to settle for  The Black Sands of Castlecliff Beach in Wanganui.  The sand is black due to the volcanic activity that dominates the region.

On a clear day just off the coast you can see the towering volcanoes that are Mount Taranaki and Mount Ruapehu, truly a breathtaking sight!!

I myself had never seen a black sand beach until I first ventured to Wanganui and Gnorman in the photo seems genuinely blown away by the whole experience.