Blacksmiths Beach has been forced to close for the second time in as many days, after another shark sighting delivered beach-goers a nasty New Year's Day surprise.
Lifesavers shut down the area for an hour to search the water for the shark, after a private helicopter operator reported the sighting.
Blacksmiths was the third beach Hunter-wide to close for New Year's morning, with Redhead and Newcastle Beaches both shut due to dangerous surf conditions.
