Shore leave (original) (raw)

Shore leave is the leave that professional sailors get to spend on dry land. It is also known as "liberty" within the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. During the Age of Sail, shore leave was often abused by the members of the crew, who took it as a prime opportunity to drink in excess, indulge in other pleasures denied to them aboard the solely-masculine ships, and desert. Many captains were forced to take on new members of the crew to replace the ones lost due to shore leave.