A PVT SMA PLT FOUND THAT A NEW OBSERVATION AEROSTAT WAS NOT YET ON THE CHARTS AND FLT FOLLOWING DID NOT MENTION THE AEROSTAT TO HIM.

Narrative

A WX BALLOON HAS BEEN INSTALLED NEAR CRYSTAL RIVER; FL; AND IS NOT YET ON CURRENT SECTIONAL MAPS. REGARDLESS OF NOTAM; I SUGGEST FLT FOLLOWING TRY TO WARN PLTS APCHING THE AREA (AT LEAST UNTIL THE RESTR AREA IS ON THE MAP). I WAS HANDED OFF FROM JACKSONVILLE TO TAMPA AS I FOLLOWED THE W COAST OF FL 'SIGHT-SEEING' ON MY WAY FROM TLH TO FXE. IN THE INTERIM; I CALLED WX AND THEN WAITED FOR A 'GAP' IN COM TFC TO RPT TO TAMPA. DURING THE 5-10 MIN INTERVAL; I PASSED THROUGH THE RESTR AREA. AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: A CALL TO THE JACKSONVILLE FSS SHOWED THAT THERE IS A NEW RESTR AREA AT HORSESHOE BEACH; FL; R-2938. INSIDE THIS AREA IS AN OBSERVATION AEROSTAT OPERATED BY THE UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SVC. THE RESTR AREA IS NOT YET ON THE SECTIONAL CHARTS OR THE LOW ALT INST CHARTS. THE FSS BRIEFER REITERATED THAT IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLT TO CHK THE NOTAMS; BUT THAT FLT FOLLOWING SHOULD HAVE MADE HIM AWARE OF THE RESTR AREA.