Crashing, or completely overcome
Poʻipū describes water breaking over something — crashing, drenching, covering completely. It is a straightforward description of the shore.
The south side sits away from the prevailing weather, which is why the resorts are here rather than on the wetter north shore.
ʻIniki
Hurricane ʻIniki crossed directly over Kauaʻi in September 1992 and did most of its damage along this coast. Several hotels were destroyed outright and some were not rebuilt for a decade. It remains the most powerful hurricane to strike Hawaiʻi in the modern record.