The East Coast refers to the easternmost coastal states of the United States.  While it includes the entire eastern seaboard, for diving purposes, we are referring to the Carolinas.  See the map here.

Diving in North Carolina is probably the best, especially if you are interested in wrecks.  This area is very much known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic".  Stretching down from Nags Head to Cape Fear (yes, it does exist!) there is an enormous amount to chose from.  There are 3 U-Boats, the U-85, the U-352 and the U701.   Click here to read full details of all the wrecks lying off this coast.

South Carolina also has wreck diving but, as the waters are warmer, there are more reefs and tropical fish, typically. angelfish, lionfish, amberjack, spadefish, barracuda, jewfish, sunfish, as well as turtles and sharks.  

• Whale watching at Cape Cod - click here for what to see and the best time to see them!
• The U-85 - depth charged by the USS Roper on the 14th April 1942 and is located just off Nags Head at a depth of 100 feet (30mtrs). Lying at a depth of 100-115ft (34mtrs.), it is in reasonably good condition.   This is the wreck that most divers first dive on their visit to North Carolina and is small, intact and can be circled a couple of times during a dive. It is sitting on its keel at 45 degrees and is located just off Cape Lookout.
• The U-701 lies just off Cape Hatteras at a depth of 115 feet (34mtrs) and was responsible for the sinking of the oil tanker, SS William Rockefeller (as yet, unlocated) which was carrying 136,000 barrels of oil, (at the time the largest oil tanker in the world.) 
• A victim of U-124 was the Papoose which was sunk on the 19th March 1942 and lies at 90-120 feet.  It lies on the bottom in an upside down position, but is a large wreck of some 5900 tonnes.  Location is just off Cape Lookout.
• The wreck of the Sherman (South Carolina) is a very great place to see turtles, sharks and other marine life.  The Sherman which was a 200 ft. post civil war blockade-runner, lies in 52 feet of water about 6 miles from Little River Inlet.  You might even find the occasional belt buckle, buttons, bottles and fossils.
  

• The water is a lot warmer south of Cape Hatteras as this where the currents collide.  North of the Cape is where the Labrador current flows south and where the Gulf Stream starts.  Therefore, wet suits and dry suits to the north and wet suits and shorties to the south.