A 260-kilometre voyage down New Brunswick's St. John River landed at its final destination over the weekend.

Where the river meets the Bay of Fundy,  the St. John River Wolastoq Brigade pulled through the Reversing Falls at its unofficial finish line Saturday afternoon.

The Canoe Brigade is one of 35 happening on Heritage Rivers across Canada in 2017. About 120 paddlers began the journey up stream in Florenceville-Bristol, north western N.B., last week.

"From every province across Canada and we even had a few people from the United States, we really wanted to celebrate the St. John River,” says brigade co-chair Beth McCann. “We really wanted to highlight the history of the river, the variety of people who live along the river, the wonderful recreational opportunities we have on the river and what a fabulous tourist attraction we have.”

It’s the first time there's ever been a brigade on the St. John River. McCann says it’s the first time for a voyage of its kind in the Maritimes.

Lunenburg resident Anna Mallin says it’s an experience she’ll never forget.

“The friendships made are going to go on forever and watching these guys going down the river with the flags flying, oh my heart,” Mallin says.

Sandra Phiney from Yarmouth says the physical pain of the expedition was all worth it.

“It's been an awesome trip, we feel our bones and muscles but it’s been beyond wonderful, the St. John River is so special,” says Phiney.

The brigade made stops along the St. John River all week, attracting a crowd at each stop.

Before the Wolastoq Brigade came ashore in Saint John, it was Fredericton resident John Beal’s job to ask for permission to land as a part of paddler tradition.

“We always have to do that because in the old days we wouldn’t know if we'd be welcome or not, so it’s a tradition,” Beal says.

He says the trip offered a view of the towns and cities like no other. He says you can’t see the St. John River the same way if you take to the roads.

“When you’re paddling you don’t go very fast and you get to see all kinds of things along the shore, all sorts of places you'd miss,” he says. “You'd never see these places if you got on the Tans-Canada.”

Sarah Finley from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, says she took part in the voyage to feel closer to her late father.

“My father owned a sailboat and when we lived in Fredericton we would often sail the St. John River so it’s a big part of my life and he is no longer here on earth so I did it in honour of him and also just to revisit the most beautiful river,” she says.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore.