Blackwater airfield is owned and managed by the Florida Forest Service. The RAF just recently had a gathering of locals to help clean the place up and get it back up to snuff so the general public could use it. Their page goes into detail on background and procedures. You can find it here: http://www.theraf.org/content/blackwate ... y-briefing
It is highly recommended that you fly the east/west corridor on your way in to get a glimpse of paradise down along the beach. Just be sure to study up ahead of time for the Part 93 SUA. It's pretty easy, but there is an FAA course that can help guide you and answer any questions: https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/cou ... eview=true
Once you've enjoyed the flight down the beach you can head north to find Blackwater. Be aware of the restricted areas all around as well as the Class C airspace for Pensacola. The strip itself is a mile long grass strip with a few thousand feet in the middle marked out with old tires painted white. It can be hard to find as there are 50ft pine trees that surround the strip.
The strip is in decent condition with a few rough bumps courtesy of the local fire ant population. Once down, taxi to south end of the runway and stake out your piece of land. There isn't much in the way of shade on the runway. There was a fire through that area not long ago so there isn't a whole lot of underbrush to contend with if you want to set the tent up a bit further back into the woods. Camping is $10 a night or $15 if you use the showers.
Krul Lake is a nice cool clear man-made lake fed by a few springs and is just a short walk away. It's mostly locals that seem to hang around and enjoy the swimming and hiking the park has to offer.
This is a nice trip if you're ever in the panhandle region looking for a fun weekend getaway for some relaxation
