It helped, however, that the instructor was none other than world famous big wave specialist Alastair Mennie. The Portrush man is at the top of this most dangerous of sports - travelling the world in search of ever bigger waves, regularly challenging nature around the coast of Ireland and competing at the highest level across the globe.
It was a chance conversation at the Coleraine Sports Council Award dinner this year that lead to our reporter Milne Rowntree dipping his toe into the world of surfing - and braving the icy waters of the mid winter Atlantic Ocean.
"Anybody can do it if they try", insisted Alastair, and, with a little persuasion, Milne had his first surfing lesson at East Strand in Portrush.
"I have to say the water wasn't the problem, it was the wind when we were getting changed later that was really cold", said Milne once his teeth had stopped chattering. "The water itself is warm enough when you have a wetsuit on."
After some shore based practice it was into the waves, but not the giant rollers Alastair is used to. "They were big enough for me", said Milne after an hour of effort.
"I think I was beginning to get the hang of it but it is hard work when you aren't too agile or too sure of what you are doing. I must say it is a great thrill when you do manage to get up on the board - even if it is only for a few seconds."
Alastair has recently been making a real mark on the world of big wave surfing. Sixty foot high monsters are what he is after and he travels the world at the drop of a hat to chase the biggest and wildest waves on the planet.
Brought up in Castlerock, the 28-year-old started surfing when he was nine and he was so small that his dad had to carry the board into the sea for him. He soon started competing in events across Ireland and now, at 6ft 5in, he is physically capable of taking on the big waves.
As a teenager he started to win championships in Ireland and at 21 he was fifth in the British Pro-Tour Championships, still the best ever performance for an Irish surfer.
As a student at Plymouth University he surfed everyday at nearby Newquay and won the British Student Surf championships.
Right from the start he loved massive waves, out beyond the Barmouth at Castlerock, and he decided to go to California to sample bigger waves. The day before he died, Alastair's father told him to "go for it" and Alastair did just that.
He took on 40 foot waves and soon returned to Ireland to begin a search for monster waves along the West coast. He sold his boat and bought a jet ski to allow him to tow into even bigger waves and ride them towards the shore. The jet ski is needed as it is not possible to swim the boards on to the waves.
He has struck up a great working association with fellow surfer Andrew Cotton and the pair have trained and worked together for about five years. "We each know what the other is thinking and I know he would put it all on the line for me and I would likewise. You have to have total reliance and it has seen us out of some very tricky situations.
"Now we have big wave experience we have been invited to competitions in Hawaii, Oregon and Chile. They are all invite only because of the danger and the skill needed to compete.
"In Chile we realised that we can compete with the best in the world. In the World Tow In Championships there at the beginning of November we came tenth in the world."
For now Alastair is ready to travel at short notice to get the biggest waves. It may only be two days notice, and require travel across the world, but that is what it takes to ride the biggest.
Alastair is always looking for record breaking waves. He said: "Someone will break the 60 foot wave record in this part of the world sooner or later. The continental shelf in places like Mayo lends itself to producing massive waves, in the right weather conditions.
"Unfortunately these are generally in inaccessible places. Often the waves break across rocks. It is dangerous and I must stress - don't try it unless you really know what you are doing.
"We plan and train to minimise the risk but even then we often get into tricky situations. You need a lot of knowledge and experience of the sea."
Alastair travels the world with the support of several sponsors but he is always on the lookout for more. "I would love to have substantial support from Northern Ireland. It is a glamorous, high profile extreme sport and it is getting massive international coverage, offering worldwide exposure for sponsors."
Alastair says that some of the best surfing available is along the Causeway Coast. "The beaches are amazing and with the right weather the surf is amazing. The East Strand, Castlerock, the Whiterocks are fantastic and Portballintrae compares with the best in France. Even off the Skerries there are massive waves in the right conditions."
To find out more about Alastair, his daring exploits and also about sponsorship opportunities, log onto www.almennie.com
And what about the Times "silver surfer"?
Alastair kindly said: "Milne did very well for his first attempt at surfing but it will be a day or two yet before he's riding the big waves with me!"