A PIPER PA28 FLEW IFR DIRECT FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO THE US IN NON COMPLIANCE. PLT UNAWARE OF RESTR ON DIRECT FLT.

Narrative

DESPITE A REASONABLE EFFORT ON MY PART TO KEEP UP WITH THE FAA CHANGES SINCE 09/TUE/01; EMAIL NEWS LETTER AND TALKING WITH FSS; I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RESTRS ON DIRECT FLTS FROM THE US TO THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS ON 12/FRI/01 WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. BEFORE LEAVING I OBTAINED WX VIA THE INTERNET. FLEW TO XYZ FOR FUEL AND FILED INTERNATIONAL VFR FLT PLAN IN FLT PLANNING OFFICE TO FORT LAUDERDALE. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE RESTR. I WAS UNABLE TO CALL ZZZ FSS BECAUSE; AS I DISCOVERED THAT MORNING; THE WX BRIEF NUMBER IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS AS IT HAD BEEN IN THE BAHAMAS. I DEPARTED AND WAS IMMEDIATELY HANDED OFF TO MIAMI CTR. I ASKED MIAMI TO CONFIRM THAT MY FLT PLAN HAD BEEN OPENED AND THE CTLR RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY. I SQUAWKED THE ASSIGNED CODE AND BECAUSE OF OUR LOW CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 6500 FT; LOST MIAMI CTR OVER MAYAGUANA; BUT ESTABLISHED CONTACT AGAIN NEAR STELLA MORRIS; WAS HANDED OVER TO NASSAU; AND THEN BACK TO MIAMI. I DESCENDED TO 1500 FT OVER BAMINI ISLAND TO GET UNDER A CLOUD LAYER AND AT THAT ALTITUDE LOST MIAMI CTR. SOON THEREAFTER; I CONTACTED MIAMI APCH CTL AND WAS HANDED OFF TO FLL TWR ABOUT 10 MILES OUT. THE TWR THEN INFORMED ME THAT FLT SERVICE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR ME AND WHO I THEN CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY. THE CTLR WHO RESPONDED ASKED ME IF I HAD LANDED IN NASSAU AND I INFORMED CTLR THAT 'NO; THAT WAS MY ALTERNATE ARPT.' CTLR MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT ME BEING LATE -- THE FLT HAD TAKEN ABOUT 45 MINS MORE THAN THE 4 HRS 15 MINS DURATION I HAD FILED. CTLR THEN INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO GO DIRECT TO FLL WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE BAHAMAS. CTLR THEN SAID 'WELL ITS TOO LATE NOW' AND I SWITCHED BACK TO FLL TWR AND LANDED. I OF COURSE FELT STUPID FOR NOT KNOWING THIS; BUT WHAT STRUCK ME AS ODD; IS THAT I HAD BEEN ABLE TO FILE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THAT THROUGHOUT THE 5 HR FLT NO ONE HAD NOTIFIED ME OF MY MISTAKE.