Surf Dude is serving the throng at the bar.
He's perfectly friendly as he fetches a pint of this, a bottle of that, but with his gaze flitting between his customers and the beach behind them, there are other matters on his mind.
We are at Watergate Bay, one of Cornwall's foremost surfing destinations between the Trevelgue Head and Stem Point cliffs. Low tide reveals one of the most stunning stretches of golden sand I've seen this side of the Indian Ocean yet we are just two miles from Newquay. It is no accident that our server has sought a day job here. Not a second wasted, you see, when it comes time for the daily ritual of hanging up the barman's apron and hauling on the wetsuit.
As he glances at his watch for the umpteenth time, Surf God enters, all ice-blue eyes and sun-bleached ponytail with seawater dripping from a golden brow. "How is it out there?" asks Surf Dude. "Awesome, man. Just awesome," says Surf God. A smile spreads across our bartender's face. It is almost time, he thinks.
On our first trip to Cornwall, I can see the attraction of this surfing lark but the wetsuits put me off. Not the most flattering look for the non waif-like among us.
Our base is a two-bedroomed eco-home in The Village, a development embedded in the cliffs overlooking Watergate Bay. With designer interiors and an oversized terrace giving views of the crashing waves, the look is contemporary beach chic but the feel is oversized luxury hotel suite. This is a bucket-and-spade break for city hipsters. You can even hire a chalet host to cook and bake cakes for you. How Chamonix.
The Village is next to the Watergate Bay Hotel, and the self-catering accommodation is the perfect solution for families who want the flexibility of their own place but with hotel facilities on the doorstep. There is an infinity pool, a spa and dining at the hotel in the bar or at the Beach Hut on the sands.
Also on the beach is Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, where we enjoy a stand-out lunch of crab bruschetta, herb-crusted pollock and scrummy elderflower panna cotta.
While some holiday destinations are not suitable for those with dogs, the tourist board offers a Dogs' Guide to Cornwall. With miles of coastal and woodland walks, dog-friendly pubs and a canine a la carte menu at the Nare hotel on the Roseland Peninsula, you're in mutt heaven.
Paradise Park in Hayle is a great option for our two toddlers with exotic birds, otters, red pandas and, most popular with our girls, penguin feeding time. Other great days out include the Blue Reef Aquarium, zoo and Dairyland Farmworld, all in Newquay, the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth and for older children there's Crealy's Great Adventure Park in Wadebridge. Interesting heritage sites include Pendennis Castle, built by Henry VIII, near Falmouth.
By far the most unusual is the Eden Project, the 35-acre "living laboratory" for plant life. The site's two vast greenhouses - or biomes - showcase what it's like in the tropical rainforest and the balmy Mediterranean. A new offering is the "gardener for a day" programme where enthusiasts can join Eden's horticulturists at work. The experience costs from £99.
The biggest pull of Cornwall, however, are its pretty fishing towns. Forget the cynics who bleat about the emergence of "Pad-Stein" since TV chef Rick boasted of Padstow's charm and encouraged tourists in droves. It's still gorgeously quaint and peppered with whitewashed cottages, artisan food shops and pretty boutiques.
Tables at one of Stein's four eateries in the town are like hen's teeth in the summer but that shouldn't be a reason to stay away. We enjoy an amble through the streets, indulge in a seafood lunch and some shopping then hop on the ferry from Padstow to Rock - a five-minute trip across the Camel Estuary. On the other side we're rewarded with yet another glorious sandy beach.
Our favourite is Porthgwidden, near St Ives, a sandy cove, where beach huts stand to attention over the suntrap of a beach which is home to the Porthgwidden Cafe. We take a seat to enjoy views of the bay across to Godrevy Lighthouse and enjoy crispy calamari and Cornish Crab linguine.
As we return for a final night at our chic retreat, we wave to the surfers. It won't be the last time we'll see them - next time we might even bring wetsuits.
TRAVEL NOTES
Where to stay
A week in a two-bedroomed eco-home at The Village, Watergate Bay, starts from £695. Visit beachretreats.co.uk. Watergate Bay Hotel: watergatebay.co.uk; Fifteen Cornwall: fifteencornwall.co.uk;
Other information
See visitcornwall.com or call 01872 322900.
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