Luke Morton, 23, from Smethwick, West Midlands, was washed off rocks at Mwnt on Sunday, 7 August.
Friend Barry McFadden told the inquest at Aberystwyth his friend had insisted the pair walk around a rock along the coast, despite the rough sea.
The waves dragged him off the rocks when the pair got into difficulty.
A conclusion of misadventure was given at the hearing.
Mr McFadden said his friend, who he described as "a bit of an adrenaline junkie", managed to regain his grip a few times before disappearing.
"The last thing he said [before the sea came in] was 'we'll be laughing about this at home tonight'," Mr McFadden said.
He spotted his friend one last time and said he would go and find help before returning to the beach where the emergency services had already been contacted.
"I think I knew at that point I wouldn't see him alive again," Mr McFadden said.
"If I could have helped him I would have helped him," he said addressing Mr Morton's family in the public gallery.
His body was recovered on 1 September.
The cause of death was drowning.
A man who was swept out to sea at a Ceredigion beach was warned by his friend "you're going to get yourself killed", an inquest has been told.